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EMPRESS EUGENIE 
IN EXILE 



EMPRESS EUGENIE 
IN EXILE 



BY 



AGNES CAREY 



WITH ILLUSTRATIONS 
FROM PHOTOGRAPHS 




NEW YORK 

THE CENTURY CO. 

1920 



■s,'^] 






Copyright, 1920, by 
The Centubt Co. 



NOV iO !920 



P l^ .00 

g)CI,A604006 



TO 
MY CHILDREN 



PREFACE 

During the ten months in 1886 that it was my 
good fortune to spend at Farnborough in the 
household of the Empress Eugenie (good for- 
tune which I owe to an old family friend, who 
was intimate with the Empress), I kept up my 
life-long habit, when absent from home, of daily 
correspondence with my family. Hence these 
pages, culled from letters and diaries. 

However disconnected and fragmentary the 
following account of the Empress may be, it has 
one merit, — truth to fact. Anecdotes and an ac- 
count of events were hastily scribbled at the close 
of each busy day. Realizing the value of spon- 
taneity, I have purposely kept as much as pos- 
sible to the wording of these notes, — written while 
the actual words the Empress spoke, and her im- 
pressive face and gestures, were fresh in my 
mind. Other incidents, since learned, might 
have inspired better stories, but would not be the 
words that came from her own lips. So I have 

vii 



PREFACE 

preferred to give only what I positively know she 
said, merely adding a few words here and there 
for the sake of clarity. 

Richard Watson Gilder was anxious to have 
me publish parts of this book many years ago, 
but during the life of the Empress I felt it would 
be an unpardonable breach of confidence, so I re- 
fused. Now that the end of her ninety-four 
eventful years has come, the "Empress in Exile" 
belongs to history, 

Agnes Carey. 



) 



VUl 



CONTENTS 

PAGE 

Paet I Farnborough Hill, an Empress's 

Home 3 

Part H Daily Events: Further Extracts 

FROM Diary and Letters ... 65 

Part HI The Empress Visits Queen Victoria 183 

Part IV Later Events at Farnborough Hill 229 

Part V Reminiscences of Empress Eugenie: 
Her Characteristics and Idiosyn- 
CRACIES 328 



IX 



LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 

The Empress Eugenie Frontispiece 

TACINQ 
PAGE 

"This telegram was the prelude to some of the most 

pleasant and interesting months of my life" . 4f 

The Empress Eugenie and her ladies .... 13' 

A typical menu at Farnborough Hill .... IT 

Farnborough Hill, Hampshire 32 

The Prince Imperial 49 

Monsignor Goddard 64 

Franceschini Pietri 64 

The Memorial Church, Farnborough Hill . . . 69 

Due de Bassano 76 

Dr. Thomas W. Evans 76" 

Camden House, Chislehurst 80 

The Empress Eugenie and Napoleon IH, with the 

Prince Imperial 88 

The Prince Imperial at the age of six . . . . 97 

The Prince Imperial at the age of twelve ... 97 
Prince and Princess Henry (Princess Beatrice) of 

Battenberg 112 

Catholic Church at Chislehurst 129 

Interior of Catholic Church at Chislehurst . . 129 

The Empress Eugenie (From a Sevres Miniature) 145 

The Empress Eugenie about 1860 .... 160 

xi 



ILLUSTRATIONS 



PAOINQ 
PAGE 



Tomb of Emperor Napoleon III at Chislehurst, 

afterward removed to Farnborough Hill . . 164 
Tomb of the Prince Imperial at Farnborough Hill 16^! 
The garden front at Farnborough Hill — Maria, 
M. Chevreau, Antonia, the author, Captain 

Bizot 173 

Prince Jerome Bonaparte 181 

Prince Lucien Bonaparte 181 

Osborne Cottage, East Cowes, Isle of Wight . . 188 
R. Y. S. Club-house, West Cowes, Isle of Wight . 193 
Osborne House, the Isle of Wight home of Queen 

Victoria 193 

Mile. Antonia de Vejerano 208 

Mile. Maria de Vejerano 208 

Surgeon-Major Frederick B. Scott .... 225 
The Emperor and Empress in 1865 .... 240 
The Duchess of Alva and her children .... 257 
Marshal MacMahon, President of the French Re- 
public, 1873-1879 257 

Memorial to the Prince Imperial on Chislehurst 

Common 272 

The Empress, about 1870 289 

Princess Clotilde 304 

Prince Napoleon 304 

Interior of Memorial Church (Farnborough) . . 321 
The Empress and the Prince Imperial . . . 336 

The Emperor Napoleon III 357 

The Empress Eugenie about 1880 .... 364' 

xii ' 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 



EMPRESS EUGENIE 
IN EXILE 

PART I 

FARNBOROUGH HILL, AN EMPRESS's HOME 

"Meet the Empress at Wilton Crescent tomor- 
row Wednesday at four. Arcos." 

This telegram from Mme. de Arcos, an old 
friend of my aunt's, was the prelude to some of 
the most pleasant and interesting months of my 
life. Needless to say the message was speedily 
obeyed, and a few hours after its receipt, I was 
already whirling away in an express train toward 
London. It was the following afternoon, Feb- 
ruary 10, 1886, that I started for Mme. de 
Arcos's house in Belgravia, where after waiting 
a few moments in the drawing-room with Mrs. 
Edmund Vaughan I was taken upstairs by her 
and her sister to see the Empress, who had come 
to London expressly for this interview, 

3 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE ' 

Mme. de Arcos had already told me that I 
should find Her Imperial Majesty most gracious 
and I need not be in the least intimidated by her, 
but in spite of this reassuring assertion, my heart 
beats quickened a little, just as I entered her 
presence and made my first low court courtesy. 
The Empress half rose from her seat, at the same 
time motioning me to a chair, and in the conversa- 
tion which ensued praised my French unstint- 
ingly, put me so completely at my ease, and in- 
terested me so much as she sat there in her wid- 
ow's weeds, in the dim hght of a foggy winter's 
afternoon, — once the most beautiful woman of 
Europe, — that I quite forgot to lose my self-pos- 
session. 

In less than half an hour I had made another 
deep courtesy and had taken leave of the Em- 
press under Mme. de Arcos's wing, was compli- 
mented by her downstairs on my tenue, and had a 
few friendly hints given me on court ways and 
the little difficulties I should be ready to encoun- 
ter. Shortly after five o'clock I was back again 
with my family, and able to give them the good 
news, — that the Empress had received me most 
kindly, that all was satisfactorily settled, and the j 

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FARNBOROUGH HILL 

details of my future life at Farnborough ar- 
ranged; even to the hour of the train which was 
to carry me thither on the fifteenth. 

From my diary: 

It was quite dark when I reached Farnborough 
station about 6 p. m. on the appointed day, and I 
was glad to find a carriage waiting for me. On 
the platform stood a smart but most good-na- 
tured French footman, with a cockade on his hat 
and, five minutes later, I had driven through the 
lodge gates and had arrived at Farnborough Hill, 
where, through many circuitous passages, I was 
passed along by various pleasant men-servants, 
and finally shown up to my room. 

While I was waiting there, not knowing what to 
do next, there was a knock at my door and a maid 
came to offer her services, which I declined. 
Then Mme. Le Breton walked in, accompanied 
by the Empress's two Spanish nieces, Maria and 
Antonia de Vejarano, whom she introduced as 
well as herself, and welcomed me most warmly to 
my new home, while apologizing for not having 
been at the entrance when I arrived. The coach- 
man had brought me to a side entrance instead of 
the principal one, where Mme. Le Breton and the 
girls had long been vainly waiting for the carriage 
to drive up. At last they discovered the error, 

5 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

found that I was already in the house, and came 
up to me at once. Mme. Le Breton then rang 
for some tea, which was brought up on a dainty 
httle silver tray. We talked a good deal about 
Chislehurst, and Mme. Le Breton was very much 
astonished when I told her that I knew her and 
the other inmates of the imperial household per- 
fectly by sight, having constantly seen them all 
there on Sundays in the little Church of St. 
Mary's during 1879 and 1880. The nieces were 
rather shy and quiet, but very courteous and af- 
fectionate, and they appeared to my English eyes 
absolutely grown up, though only about sixteen 
and eighteen years old. 

At seven-thirty my visitors all three left me 
to unpack the necessaries and dress hastily for 
dinner, M. and A. promising to return and fetch 
me, which they did at a few minutes to eight. 
They led me first through intricate passages, and 
then down a handsomely carved staircase into a 
splendid gallery, beautifully fiu-nished, and filled 
with oh jets d' art and jardinieres of sweet-smell- 
ing flowers. Mme. Le Breton, carefully gantee, 
was already waiting there with M. le Due de Bas- 
sano and M. Pietri, both of whom she introduced 
to me. Almost immediately afterward the Em- 
press made her appearance, we ladies courtesying 
and the gentlemen bowing low. 

6 



FARNBOROUGH HILL 

Her Imperial Majesty welcomed me most 
kindly, hoped I had had a pleasant journey and 
had left my grandmother well; and then, after a 
ceremonious bow from the maitre d' hotel, who 
announced, "Le diner de sa Majeste est servi," 
the Due de Bassano offered the Empress his arm, 
M. Pietri took in Mme. Le Breton, and we three 
girls followed, passing into the dining-room at the 
end of the gallery. 

It seemed strange to realize, a moment later, 
that I was comfortably seated at the Empress's 
table, and stranger still, that I did not feel a lit- 
tle out of it, as I probably should have done any- 
where else on a first evening, but I suppose the 
charm and perfect good-breeding of the Empress 
account for my ease in these new surroundings. 
H. I. M. was very much struck, when Mme. Le 
Breton told her about my sejour first at Chisle- 
hurst, and then in the house the imperial party 
had just vacated in London. 

"Vous voyez. Mademoiselle," she said, "le sort 
voulait absolument que nous nous connussions 
[You see. Mademoiselle, Fate was determined we 
should meet] !" 

She asked me many questions about Chisle- 
hurst, — one of them when it was I first went 
there to live. I tried, but vainly, to avoid an- 
swering, as it was the sad year (1879) of the 

7 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

Prince Imperial's death, and I saw tears gather in 
her eyes immediately I was forced into mention- 
ing it. 

After dinner, the two girls and I walked up 
and down the gallery for about half an hour with 
the Empress, who told us all sorts of interest- 
ing things about her past life. Then we went 
into the drawing-room and I was asked to play 
the piano ; my pieces were apparently much hked 
and the Empress seemed pleased and anxious for 
more. After a little while, thinking I might per- 
haps be giving them a dose, I left off, but the Em- 
press said with so much insistence, "Encore un 
petit morceau, Mademoiselle, si vous n'etes pas f a- 
tiguee; vous nous faites tant de plaisir [Another 
piece please. Mademoiselle, if you are not tired; 
you give us so much pleasure]," that I acceded to 
her wish. At ten o'clock the gentlemen came 
in from the bilhard-room, and then, on a sign 
from the Empress, M. and A. got up, and kissed 
their aunt's hand (a custom in Spain). We 
three then shook hands with Mme. Le Breton 
and the gentlemen, courtesied to the Empress and 
retired. 

Here follows the usual order of the day: At 
eight o'clock M., A. and I breakfasted in the 
dining-room at a little table laid for us in the bay- 
window. From eight-thirty to twelve we de- 
voted ourselves to English and music. Then us- 

8 



FARNBOROUGH HILL 

imlly a tap at our door and a little visit from the 
Empress, with whom we nearty always went for 
our morning walk. At one o'clock luncheon all 
together; then another walk or drive — after 
which, at four-forty-five, rosary for the whole 
household in the chapel, the Empress herself say- 
ing all the prayers, both before and after. At 
five o'clock, afternoon tea all together in the salon 
du matin and after a more or less prolonged 
general conversation, the girls studied again 
till dressing-time at seven-thirty. At eight 
o'clock, dinner, after which our usual little walk 
up and down the gallery with the Empress, fol- 
lowed by needlework and conversation in the 
drawing-room, and bed at ten; — to begin again 
the same next day, till visitors or some unusual 
event occasioned some slight change of program. 
Farnborough Hill is a beautiful dwelling, 
much finer than Camden Place, the Empress's 
Chislehurst home for a good many years. Had 
it been possible for her to remain at Camden 
Place, she would never have made a move into 
Hampshire. Mr. Stroud, owner of Camden 
Place, would willingly have sold her his property, 
but the Empress could not succeed in getting 
possession of the adjoining land necessary for 
building the mausoleum for husband and son 
which she had set her heart on. In telling us 
about her efforts, she spoke with much sadness 

9 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

and not a little bitterness: explaining how hard 
it had been for her to beg permission to buy a 
little land wherein to bury her husband and son, 
and to be refused it by a man who owned such 
broad acres as did Mr. E., a rich German toy- 
manufacturer, who seemed disinchned to sell an 
inch of land to the French Empress. 

My letters, written at the time, give a most 
minute description of Farnborough Hill, and in 
the following pages I give some of the more im- 
portant details, nearly always using the original 
words. 

From a letter : 

Farnborough Hill, 
February 28, 1886. 
The accompanying plan gives a little idea of 
how the reception rooms all open out on to the 
first central gallery, or hall, which is about 120 
feet long by 20 feet broad, and filled with most 
artistic and lovely things. Grouped about the 
entrance to the grand salon are two lovely Louis 
XVI arm-chairs, some smaller chairs of the same 
period, two sofas, footstools to match, and four 
beautiful cabinets with splendid Sevres plaques 
let in. These cabinets, even years ago, were each 
valued at 100,000 francs, according to Mme. Le 

10 



FARNBOROUGH HILL 

Breton. They belonged formerly to Napoleon 
Ill's mother, Queen Hortense, daughter of Jo- 
sephine Beauliarnais (by a marriage previous to 
that with Napoleon Bonaparte) later the beauti- 
ful Creole Empress. At the lower extremity of 
the gallery are the Empress Eugenie's own pri- 
vate sitting-room and another called the "Prince 




Imperial's room" ; beyond which, following along 
to the left, is a sweet little boudoir called petit 
salon de Vlinperatrice; then come, beyond, the 
handsome old carved staircase, le salon des dames 
used as a study, and the large salon die matin. 
Further on, three enormous oriel windows, in 
front of which are tiled jardinieres, whose fra- 
grant flowers perfume all the gallery, and so on 
to the dining-room door which ends the gallery. 
On the wall opposite each oriel window hang 
magnificent Gobelins, three of a series of six, 
which is completed in the dining-room. They 
represent different episodes in the life of the illus- 

11 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

trioiis Don Quixote, and are always much ad- 
mired by connoisseurs. 

Next in sequence, on our return down the gal- 
lery, comes the billiard-room; then the grand 
salon and the entrance to the handsome vestibule, 
and back again to the Empress's apartments, 
whence we started on our travels. 

From a letter : 

Farnborough Hill, 
February 28, 1886. 

Scattered about among the Queen Hortense 
cabinets and other historic furniture, are palm 
trees, and a few good pieces of modern stat- 
uary by the best sculptors of the day, including a 
great number of busts. Napoleon I's immediate 
family has certainly not been neglected. They 
are all there: Charles Bonaparte, his father; Le- 
titia, his mother, styled Madame Mere; his broth- 
ers — Josej^h, King of Spain, Jerome, King of 
Westphalia, and Louis, father of Napoleon III, 
King of Holland; Caroline, who married Joachim 
Murat, King of Naples; and finally, Eliza and 
Lucien, these two being the only ones of the fam- 
ily who never wore a crown. Then, too, there is a 
bust of the great man himself, and many of Na- 
poleon III ; Queen Hortense ; Princess Mathilde; 
and Prince Napoleon-Louis, brother of Louis- 
Napoleon. 

12 



FARNBOROUGH HILL 

The walls of the gallery can boast some very 
fine paintings; a large, life-size portrait of the 
Empress and baby prince, by Winterhalter; a 
sweet one of the Duchesse de Mouchy, the Prin- 
cesse Anna Murat, Her Imperial Majesty's niece ; 
and the Duchesse d'Albe, the Empress's own sis- 
ter, also by Winterhalter; also a wonderful Sun- 
set on the steppes of Russia by Aivasovski; An 
Eastern Woman; a Madonna with the Infant 
Jesus and St. John by W. Bouguereau, and 
others more or less important. 

In the outer vestibule, which opens into the 
gallery opposite the old staircase, are also some 
fine canvases, and one in particular. The Em- 
press and her Ladies, painted by Winterhalter in 
1855. It is a large picture about 10 by 18 feet, 
I should say, containing a life-size portrait of Eu- 
genie seated in the midst of her ladies-in-waiting. 
When she showed me this picture one day, she 
gazed at it in a wistful way, while naming the dif- 
ferent ladies and expatiating on the beauty of 
nearly all of them. She specially pointed out the 
Princesse d'Essling, her grande maitresse (Mis- 
tress of the Robes) ; the Duchesse de Bassano, her 
dame d'honneur; the Comtesse de Montebello; 
the Vicomtesse Aguado ; the Marquise de Latour- 
Maubourg, and made interesting remarks about 
many of them. On either side of the handsomely 
carved fireplace hang life-size portraits of Prince 

13 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

Eugene de Beauharnais (adopted son of Napol- 
eon I) and his sister Princesse de Beauharnais 

(Princesse en Baviere) both by Reisner. In 
front of these stands a bath chair, ornamented 
with gilding and pastel medallions, given by 
Queen Victoria to the Empress, when she, 
with the Emperor, came over to England as her 
guest to visit the first International Exhibition 

(1851). 

Leaving the lower gallery and ascending the 
grand staircase, which half-way up branches off to 
right and to left, we come upon a very striking 
portrait of Napoleon I during the Italian cam- 
paign. He is mounted on a white charger, full 
of life, clambering up a steep snow-covered ascent 
in the Alps. This is by David, and has been re- 
produced under the title of Napoleon the Great 
Crossing Mount St. Bernard, May, 1800. An 
enormous picture by Gerard, Queen Hortense 
and her Two Boys, and Troops at Sunrise by 
Protais, are other paintings on the staircase. By 
the time we have passed a few other smaller pic- 
tures on our way up, we find ourselves in a gallery 
the counterpart of the one below. In this upper 
gallery, besides more statues and paintings, there 
are several glass show cases filled with all sorts of 
interesting autograph letters, etc. 



14 



FARNBOROUGH HILL 

From a letter : 

Farnborough Hill, 
February 20, 1886. 
After luncheon one Sunday, on returning from 
a little walk in the park with the Empress, she 
very kindly showed me over the reception rooms, 
telling me the history of the beautiful things in 
the vitrines, and pointing out the best paintings, 
etc. I certainly could not have had a more inter- 
esting cicerone. First we went into the grand 
salon, which is a large room about 30 feet square 
with a deep bay-window, and the ceiling like the 
dining-room, painted to imitate sky and clouds; 
there is also a simulated balcony covered with 
creeping roses, the perspective of which is so 
good, that you think you need only climb upon it, 
to find yourself in the open air. Some of the fur- 
niture is modem, but most of it old — Louis XVI 
meuhle — saved from the burning of the Tuileries, 
and covered with handsome Gobelins. In one 
corner of the room is the piano, in another a sofa, 
in front of which is the large oval table, around 
which we play cards or work of an evening. 
Here is where the Empress usually sits — bolt up- 
right, but gracefully nevertheless and without 
stiffness, very rarely if ever leaning back. She 
has an inveterate hatred of modern sprawling. 

On each side of the grand salon door are glass 
cabinets which contain interesting historical and 

15 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

other souvenirs, endless miniatures of the Em- 
press Josephine, and a gold snuffbox, with a min- 
iature of Napoleon I and his little son, le Roi de 
Rome, The Empress told me that Napoleon 
had this in his hand when he breathed his last at 
St. Helena. There is also a feather fan, brilliant 
with iridescent beetle-wings, the gold handle of 
which is set with large oriental pearls, given by 
the ladies of Algiers to the Empress during an 
official journey in 1860. In connection with it, 
she told me amusingly of her miseiy at a wedding 
in Algiers, in having constantly to swallow the 
jams and preserves made of violets and roses, 
which were presented at every minute. She re- 
membered vividly also the penetrating smell of 
attar-of-roses which permeated even the food and 
nauseated her. A beautiful gold tea service 
brought back for her from India by the Prince 
of Wales after his official trip in 1875; a shapely 
little marble hand (that of Princess Maud of 
Wales) and some splendid jewels, given the Em- 
press by the different cities of France, when dur- 
ing her husband's absence in the Crimean and 
other wars, she was three different times (1859; 
1865; 1870) proclaimed Regente. A sweet lit- 
tle Union Jack, too, in diamonds, rubies and 
sapphires, given by Queen Victoria, after the 
signing of some treaty between England and 
France, and numberless other fascinating things. 

16 



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A TYPICAL MENU AT FARNBOROUGH HILL 



FARNBOROUGH HILL 

In this room are some of the best and most 
important pictures of the house, nearly all life- 
size and full length, by Gerard or David, which 
is praise enough. Ehza and her daughter by 
David; the Empress Josephine; Louis, King of 
Holland, and his wife Hortense in their royal 
robes and insignia, all by Gerard. There are 
also two pastels, Princess Mathilde, the sister, 
and Princess Clotilde, the wife of Prince Na- 
poleon (Plon-Plon), and two beautiful pictures, 
at least I call them that, a St. John and a copy 
of Raphael's Vierge a la Chaise, which are so mar- 
velously executed that I had to be twice assured 
by the Empress before I could believe they really 
were mosaics. They had been sent for some far- 
away birthday, to the little Prince Imperial by 
Pope Pius IX, who was his godfather. 

In the petit salon de I'lmperatrice there is no 
modern furniture, all is Louis XVI, and the pic- 
tures themselves are mostly of that epoch. A 
painting of Marie Antoinette by the celebrated 
Mme. Vigee-Lebrun, who mentions the sittings 
for that very portrait in her Memoirs, which I 
have just been reading; several Wouvermans; 
two delightful heads by Greuze ; a very sad look- 
ing head of poor little Louis XVII painted about 
the time of the Revolution, and several by Alex- 
andre Couder and others. 

In a glass case lies a pocket-knife and a few 
17 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

other relics of Louis XVI. The Empress told 
me she had formerly possessed quantities of other 
things belonging to him, but they were all burnt 
at the Tuileries during the Commune. In an- 
other carefully locked case, there are more mini- 
atures of the different Napoleons, and one repre- 
senting the Due de Bassano's father, the first 
duke of that name and minister under Napoleon 
I ; a simple but very lovely diamond and sapphire 
ring, Empress Josephine's engagement ring; the 
Empress Eugenie's own marriage prayer book 
of repousse silver incrusted with diamonds; the 
Prince Imperial's noeud de premiere communion 
(a white ribbon badge he wore French fashion 
around his arm on his First Communion day) ; 
magnificently jeweled porte-bouquets presented 
by diff^erent towns during her journey in Algeria; 
and so many other beautiful and interesting- 
things, that it is impossible to enumerate them all 
today. 

From the petit salon de VImperatrice I was 
taken one day by the Empress into the so-called 
cabinet du Prince. This was a great exception 
in my favor. It is a large room in which the 
Prince's things are arranged exactly as they 
were in the one he was occupying at Camden 
Place, Chislehurst, before leaving for Natal, — 
his writing materials and still unopened letters 
lying on his desk ! She told me, poor Empress, — 

18 



FARNBOROUGH HILL 

crying bitterly all the time, — that though she did 
not really expect such a terrible blow, she never 
could shake off a strong presentiment of danger, 
and as soon as ever her son had started for Zulu- 
land (having wrung an unwilling consent from 
her), she had all his belongings covered up care- 
fully, the place of each marked with a piece of 
chalk, and the room locked, that nothing might 
be touched. She said that the niglit before she 
learned the news of his death, she wakened 
up suddenly, hearing her son's voice distinctly 
calling her. Of course, her extreme anxiety 
might easily account for this, but she herself quite 
believed it was no hallucination, but his real cry 
of distress, — 31 ere! Mere — which reached her; 
telepathy in fact. The Empress showed me an 
album given her since that sad event by Queen 
Victoria. It contains sketches of the events of 
the Prince Imperial's entire English career, at 
Chislehurst and Woolwich, and during the fatal 
campaign in Natal. In this album is a water 
color representing the Last Bivouac; the Prince 
is depicted sitting on a little mound making a 
sketch, while the savages crept up stealthily be- 
hind him. The Empress afterward showed me 
the Prince's own sketch. In looking through the 
Prince's private photograph-album with his 
mother that day, among those of his relations and 
college friends I came across the picture of E. S., 

19 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

one of three very beautiful sisters, cousins of 
mine, who hved at Cliislehurst during the Prince's 
youthful years there. 1 had heard he was in 
love with E. S. and was told by Mme. Le Breton 
that he was often seen, when passing in and out 
of church, looking at her with admiring eyes. 
He gave her his photograph one evening, on re- 
turning from the opera while traveling down 
from London in the train. This was just before 
leaving for South Africa. 

Nearly all round this cabinet du Prince are 
bookcases, containing his favorite books. On the 
mantelpiece stands an old clock formerly in Na- 
poleon I's room at Longwood House, St. Helena; 
there is also a bronze bust of Napoleon III, and 
one of the Abbe Duguerry, one time the Prince's 
tutor, shot during the Commune. Near one of 
the windows is a beautifully carved silver bas- 
sinette, swinging between two solid imperial 
eagles, and decorated with the Prince's arms and 
those of the ville de Paris, a gift from the city at 
the time of his birth. 

There are several veiled pictures in this same 
room, representing the tragic moment of the 
Prince's death, pierced with Zulu assagais. 
These the Empress passed rapidly by. Here 
also are two glass cases, containing all the little 
personal treasures and souvenirs of his father and 
of his childhood ; his first little uniform ; presents 

20 



FARNBOROUGH HILL 

given him by sovereigns, among others a beautiful 
httle diamond-sheathed scimitar, from the Sultan 
of Turkey ; all of the personal effects he had with 
him at the Cape — his sketch-books, plans, maps, 
check books, and note-books, and also the sword 
(originally his father's) with which he so bravely 
defended himself on that fatal day against the 
Zulus, until overpowered by numbers. 

In the center of one of these cases is a small 
ebony compartment. It contains the shirt 
stained with his blood and torn with assagais, to- 
gether with the medal and gold chain his grand- 
mother, Countess Monti jo, put around his neck 
at his birth. This he retained to the last, the 
Zulus being afraid, when stripping him of every- 
thing else, to touch it, thinking it was a charm. 
Over this sad little sanctum is written in large 
letters: "Que votre volonte soit faite [Thy will 
be done]," and in front of it on a slab is a little 
white marble cross, on which Princess Beatrice 
has painted very prettil}^ the word ''Fiat" sur- 
rounded by violets. 

The Empress, naturally, did not open this com- 
partment for me, but silently passed it by with a 
lingering look of infinite sadness and a sigh. 
Her nieces tell me she has never yet had the 
courage to look on these sad relics, and Uhlmann, 
the Prince's faithful body-servant, keeps the key. 
Most of the above named things of the Prince's 

21 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

were obtained from the Zulu king, Cetewayo, by 
Queen Victoria, through the instrumentahty of 
Sir Redyers Buller, or Sir Bartle Frere, the Em- 
press said. Only one thing was never recovered ; 
it was destroyed through the ignorant supersti- 
tion of the Zulus — and that was the Prince's 
watch. An old warrior who was questioned con- 
cerning it by Dr. Scott, when accompanying the 
Empress on her journey to Zululand in 1880, 
said very innocently: "The little beast, you 
mean? — Oh, we were afraid of it, so we killed it." 
Having no notion about the nature of mechanism, 
they thought the ticking of the watch indicated 
a live creature, and so they stamped it out of ex- 
istence. 

From a letter : 

The Empress next took me into the dining- 
room, through looking-glass doors with gilt 
framework, saved from the Tuileries, and which 
make the already long gallery look interminable. 
It is a very handsomely proportioned room, about 
45 feet long, the ceiling like that of the grand 
salon imitating clouds and sky, and the walls cov- 
ered with priceless Gobelins framed with carved 
oak. There are two huge bay-windows, in one 
of which as I have already told you, our little 
breakfast table is placed. The parquet floor is 

22 



FARNBOROUGH HILL 

highly pohshed and in the center, on a thick Tur- 
key carpet, is the dining table. Though really- 
large, it looks almost lost in that immense room. 

Over the large marble fireplace, in which a 
glorious wood fire now nearly always sparkles 
and crackles, is a bust of the Empress Marie 
Louise; and on each side of a very valuable Louis 
XVI dressoir stand two large gilt candelabra, 
each about seven or eight feet high, supported by 
Sevres figures. There, too, on one side, is a 
beautiful marble statue, L,' Innocence, and on a 
console a clock from Toledo, given the Empress 
by King Alfonso and Queen Christina of Spain, 
the case of which is most elaborately worked in 
steel and gold, a curious but rich effect. 

Now for the dining table itself. In the center 
is a silver basket, well filled with growing ferns; 
salt-cellars and finger-bowls are placed around 
the table for everybody; and each person, too, 
has a toothpick, — to be used or not, according to 
inclination. I do not patronize mine, but I am 
the exception — the other diners use them con- 
scientiously, I assure you! I shall be perhaps 
less horrified at the thought, as time goes on. 

The chef sends up good and varied dinners, but 
never too long. The carving is done at a side 
table, and the food handed around in silver dishes 
by the maitre d' hotel, old Schmidt. The plates, 

23 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

with the exception of a few Sevres china ones 
used for dessert, are all plain silver, and have a 
large "N" and imperial crown engraved on the 
edge. This simple service, so called, now in 
every-day use, belonged formerly to the Emper- 
or's campaigning kit. The regular table silver 
used at the Tuileries was stolen, so the Empress 
told us, before the burning of the palace. At 
Farnborough for grand occasions, when, for in- 
stance the Queen dines here, there appears a 
lovely and very complete vermeille service, which 
once belonged to Queen Hortense, the Emperor's 
mother. I, for my part, do not enjoy using it, 
for unaccustomed as I am to eating off such pre- 
cious metal, I never can quite get over the impres- 
sion that it is brass my food is resting on instead of 
silver gilt. 

All the men-servants except an English under- 
butler, have been soldiers in the French army and 
are anciens serviteiirs des Tuileries. They look 
very trim standing behind the chairs, — soldierly, 
but less stiff and more human than the English 
flunky, and they serve so well! Every want is 
instantly noticed if not anticipated. Poor old 
Schmidt makes us all laugh sometimes, for as he 
hands around each dish his duty is to name it, 
and being very deaf and unable to control his own 
voice well, he often screams it out rather louder 
than necessary, to the surprise and amusement 

24 



FARNBOROUGH HILL 

of every one. The menu is always headed thus: 

"Diner (ou Dejeuner) de Sa 
Majeste I'lmperatrice." 

The two meals are exactly alike, except that 
there is no soup at luncheon and the coffee is 
then served at table, whereas after dinner it is 
brought into the gallery. 

On Saturday the Empress is going to Windsor 
to stay a couple of days with the Queen, accom- 
panied as usual on these occasions by Mme. de 
Arcos and the Due de Bassano. I have just been 
sending off a telegram from the Empress to 
Princess Beatrice, asking what will be the most 
convenient time for arrival at the castle. We 
shall be delighted when the Empress returns, for 
she and the Duke are the soul of the house. 

M. and A. hardly ever speak at table unless 
addressed by their aunt, but alone with me they 
are most voluble and we have nice long talks 
about Spain, and especially Madrid, for which 
(in spite of all the Empress's care and kindness) 
they are sometimes a little homesick. So occa- 
sionally, when they have made some decided head- 
way with their English conversation, I let them 
chatter away to me in Spanish, to our mutual sat- 
isfaction. 



25 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

From a letter : 

Farnborough Hill, 
February 22, 1886. 

The other day, as we were leaving our little 5a- 
lon d'etudes and following the Empress upstairs 
to the chapel, she said to me, "Vous devez trouver, 
Mademoiselle, que c'est un peu la vie du convent 
ici." To which I answered playfully: "Ma- 
dame, je trouve que c'est un convent fort beau et 
interessant; si tons etaient aussi charmants, je 
n'hesiterais pas a me faire religieuse," ^ — and she 
laughed. 

The rosary over, and before tea, the Empress 
having discovered that I had not yet seen the 
state bedrooms, went all through them with us 
for my benefit. 

First, with the Due de Bassano's permission, 
we visited his apartment, consisting of bedroom, 
dressing- and sitting-room, of which he did the 
honors most amiably, showing us among other 
treasured things, a painting of Empress Jose- 
phine, his godmother, a little pencil drawing of a 
white horse done by le Roi de Rome, Napoleon 
I's son, and also numberless photographs of his 
own children and grandchildren, of whom he is 

1 "You must find, Mademoiselle, that it is rather a convent life 
here." — "Madame, I find it a very beautiful and interesting con- 
vent; if all convents were as charming, I should not hesitate to 
become a nun." 

26 



FARNBOROUGH HILL 

passionately fond. The private passageway 
leading to the Duke's suite is full of engravings 
of European sovereigns and all the English 
princes and princesses, to which are attached their 
signatures. This smaller hallway in its turn 
leads back to the principal gallery, where, as I 
have told you before, in addition to the Empress's 
room, will be found that of Mme. Le Breton, a 
splendid room kept for the Duchesse de Mouchy, 
and others for the Due d'Albe, Mme. de Arcos, 
Mile. Corvisart and different friends and 
habitues. 

With the exception of a splendid toilette table 
covered with gold fittings which she never by any 
chance uses — formerly the property of Queen 
Hortense — the Empress's bedroom is very simple 
compared with the rooms of most women of fash- 
ion. A large bed, two or three cane chairs, a 
priedieu over which hang a crucifix and rosary, 
a few sketches of the late Emperor's room done 
by herself, on the walls ; a glass case with family 
souvenirs of an intimate kind, among others the 
Emperor's hat cribU de trous, worn the night of 
the Orsini attentat, a small table with a few books 
of devotion, and that is all. 

None of my letters seem to speak of the Em- 

27 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

press's dressing-room, so I supplement from 
memory. There was nothing particularly unique 
about this very plain room, which, however, con- 
tained all the toilet essentials. In one corner, a 
large table with a circular mirror at the back ; on 
it absolutely nothing but an enormous flat wicker- 
work basket, lined with muslin ; this was the bas- 
ket given her filled with flowers, by the dames de 
la Halle on her wedding day. In this, every 
morning and evening, her maid used to lay out 
a set of fresh underclothes. Simple, almost to 
shabbiness, as her plain outer garments sometimes 
were, her underclothes were very beautiful, dain- 
tily made and of the most exquisite materials, 
and she used to don her things with the most won- 
derful speed. Among her chemises, there were 
some which Mme. Pelletier told me were pet ones 
of hers, and which she wore only occasionally. 
They had belonged to Queen Hortense, and were 
of the most beautiful fine linen, cut out of a single 
piece and delicately embroidered by hand round 
the neck and sleeves. 

The only other things of importance in the 
room, were a screen, which made a secluded spot 
for her to dress in; her porcelain bath tub, with 

28 



FARNBOROUGH HILL 

curtains drawn around" it; an upright wooden 
portemanteau on which her clothes were hung 
temporarily while dressing; and a large armoire 
a glace, partly filled with exquisite linen, and 
where, also in a compartment, amid dehcious 
sachets, she kept stores of gloves made for her 
formerly in great quantities in Spain and Italy, 
and other personal things. Out of this armoire 
one evening she got some pairs of evening gloves 
for me, and at another time on our return from 
Osborne, when our trunks were belated, she very 
kindly presented me with a toothbrush from her 
supply. It was especially made for her and had 
Dr. Evans's name stamped on it. 

She never went near her bedroom, except to 
dress or sleep, and kept none of her personal be- 
longings there. She liked a rather hard bed, 
and used only a small hair pillow ; always had her 
window open, kept the temperature very low 
and would allow no heat in the room at night, 
but in the dejith of winter consented to a little fire 
in the morning to dress by. I never saw her in 
bed, but her nieces had done so several times, 
and told me she wore a very pretty, fluffy little 
nightcap. About ten o'clock was her usual time 

29 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

for coming downstairs of a morning, except for 
some special occasion, or on Sundays when we 
had to start early for church. 

Close by was another room called Les At ours, 
after a similar one at the Tuileries. This con- 
tained cupboards with large sliding doors, where 
her dresses and outdoor things were put away, 
and materials and things for future use stored 
with the greatest order. She had two maids, 
Mme. Pelletier, a widow with several grown chil- 
dren living in Paris, and Elise, — both excellent 
women. Mme. Le Breton also had a faithful 
and very well-educated Swiss maid, and these 
three with another j'oung woman who used to 
come in and help them, could always be found 
busily mending and sewing near the Empress's 
dressing-room. They seemed devoted to their 
mistress, and when she found something not up to 
standard and administered a reproof, red eyes 
were the consequence. But a smile or two from 
the Empress later on speedily cured their passing 
sorrow. 



30 



FARNBOROUGH HILL 

From a letter : 

Farnborough Hill, 
November 22, 1886. 
The turret chamber, called chamhre de I'Em- 
pereur, was shown me one day by Uhlmann at 
the Empress's behest. It contains undisturbed 
many of his personal things and the four-post 
bed he died in, covered now with artificial mem- 
orial wreaths, from one of which Uhlmann gave 
me some roses, white hlacs and violets. In this 
room it was that, talking about father and son, 
Uhlmann told me those touching things about 
the young Prince which I have recorded else- 
where. 

From a letter: 

Farnborough Hill. 

Of the salon du matin and the billiard-room, I 
will say nothing, but that they are simply and 
comfortably furnished, thoroughly English, and 
contain some very good pictures, among others a 
Rousseau, eighteen feet long, from which ducks 
and waterfowl attacked by an eagle seem posi- 
tively to be flying out, and one can almost hear 
their cries of distress. Another is entitled Stags 
and Dogs by JNIelin. In the salon du matin there 
is a wonderful painting of a bunch of grapes by 
St. Jean; Fruit, a composition by Rousseau; 
Marguerite and Faust by Merle ; a small portrait 

31 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

of Napoleon I on wood by Isabey; and a charm- 
ing portrait of the Prince Imperial at ten years 
old, surrounded by hunting dogs, by Yvon. 

The house chapel is very simple, just a large 
room with high roof and rafters showing, but it 
contains the most interesting of all the historical 
souvenirs in the house, an antiquitc over one thou- 
sand years old, and the only thing personally 
saved by the Empress before leaving the Tuiler- 
ies, after that eventful 4 Scptemhre which was her 
adieu to the throne of France. I will try to 
give its history as it was told me. 

In a Gothic, chiseled iron chdsse, or shrine, 
about 12 by 20 inches (with niches wherein are 
tiny metal saints), the whole ornamented with 
precious stones and pearls very much worn and 
discolored by age, are three interior partitions. 
In that on the right hand is a tiny portion of a 
veil supposed to have belonged to the Blessed 
Virgin; in the left partition what is said to be a 
piece of the holy winding sheet of our Lord; 
and in the center a curious old gold reliquary, 
about tliree inches in diameter and suspended by 
a short chain, having in the middle a pale green 
polished translucent stone, through which one can 
clearly distinguish the relic of the true cross be- 
neath. 

This talisman as it is called, belonged to the 
great Charlemagne, was prized and worn by him 

32 



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^^3*^'" 









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^i^-^^ 






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-r? 






'Ci.'- ,^\5 



vr« 



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I- 









FARNBOROUGH HILL 

during the greater part of his life time, and was 
buried with him. Without explanation it hardly 
seems possible that these facts should be authen- 
tic, and that this priceless treasure should have 
found its way from Germany to France, and 
finally to a little English village. This is how it 
was brought about: 

When Charlemagne died, he was buried in a 
vault beneath the Dom, or cathedral, of his fa- 
vorite town of Achen (Aix-la-Chapelle). Curi- 
osity as to the truth of a tradition stating that the 
Emperor was buried sitting in a chair with crown 
and scepter led Charles Quint to violate the tomb 
of his great ancestor. This much history tells us. 
The rest of the story is the Empress's version. 
The vault was opened, and for one instant the 
sitting figure was discernible — then it crumbled 
to dust. The talisman was taken out, with scep- 
ter, crown and other non-destructible things, and 
deposited in the treasure of the cathedral, where 
they remained until Napoleon I, during some visit 
to Achen, intimated to the trembling custodian 
of the treasure that he wished the reliquary sur- 
rendered to him for the Empress Josephine. 
This was promptly done. At her death at Mal- 
maison, she bequeathed it to her daughter, Queen 
Hortense, mother of Napoleon III, by whom in 
turn it was given to Eugenie. 

When 4 Septemhre dawned and the Empress 
33 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

hurriedly left the Tuileries, she with her own 
hands took the talisman out of the shrine and con- 
fided it to the keeping of a faithful servant, whose 
home was in Paris, and who all through the dark 
days of the Commune kept it hidden in liis kitchen 
cupboard, over which he had pasted a map of 
Paris. No one ever suspected this kitchen of 
containing anything so precious, and the tahsman 
was saved. 

Later on, under MacMahon, second president 
of the Repubhc, when affairs had calmed down, 
and a great deal of the Empress's private prop- 
erty was courteously sent over to her in England, 
the talisman came too, and was put back in its 
chdsse, which also happily had escaped destruc- 
tion. All this the Empress told us herself one 
evening, during our constitutional after dinner, 
and before going to bed I made ample notes of 
these interesting facts. 

From a letter: 

In the sacristy the Empress one day showed me 
some wonderful old Spanish vestments, and also 
the famous ro,se d'or that Pope Pius IX sent her 
at her son's baptism. She remarked that the rose 
seemed to have brought misfortune to all the 
sovereign women she knew who had been so spe- 

34 



FARNBOROUGH HILL 

cially honored by the Pope : Empress Charlotte 
(Maximilian's wife), Princess Clotilde, herself, 
etc. It is a rose delicately fashioned in gold, 
mounted on a conically shaped spray of golden 
foliage which rises out of a vase of the same ma- 
terial; rather disappointing somehow, though of 
beautiful workmanship. 

From a letter: 

Farnborough Hill, 
September 25, 1886. 
If I wish my letters to go out by the three 
o'clock post, I must now always write before leav- 
ing my room, for at present there is no quiet nook 
downstairs. In the billiard-room there are usu- 
ally some of the gentlemen ; in the morning-room 
ladies, gentlemen, or both — always a noisy, chatty, 
somewhat boisterous party, who put all ideas out 
of one's head. Our late salon d'etude having 
been changed into a small drawing-room as f orm- 
erl}^, it cannot now be used for writing. The 
drugget is up, showing the rich Turkey carpet 
beneath; the chairs and sofas have taken off their 
white pinafores and show their pretty pale-blue 
satin dresses again; the large useful table has 
disappeared, giving place to several antique 
pieces of furniture, on which oh jets d'art are now 
tastefully scattered. In fact, the room is not 
recognizable, except for the beautiful pictures, 

35 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

which hang unchanged on the walls. There are 
several dainty Meissoniers among them. 

By the way, tell H. that the large picture she 
admired so much — line Messe en Kahylie — is the 
representation of a real scene which took place in 
Algiers. One day during his stay here, Prince 
Joachim Murat knocked at the door, and asked 
if we would give him hospitahty for a few minutes 
and allow him to look at that particular picture 
of Horace Vernet. Of course we said "y^^j " 
and after he had gazed at it long and earnestly, 
he told us he always felt young again when he 
looked at it. Seeing our questioning astonish- 
ment, he explained that he himself was the young 
soldier-boy kneeling to the left of the altar, hold- 
ing the bishop's crozier. Strange, that having as 
a child so often looked at an engraving of that 
picture, I should have the original constantly 
under my eyes and know one of the personages 
represented! The officiating Dominican bishop 
the Empress also Icnows well ; he it was who gave 
her the plain looking rosary she uses every after- 
noon at five o'clock. Talking of this picture, the 
Empress told us one day about a review of these 
same Kabyle soldiers dm'ing her tour in Algiers, 
and the startling impression that it made upon 
her when the men of the whole regiment rushed 
up the hill on which she stood and suddenly pros- 
trated themselves before her. 

36 



FARNBOROUGH HILL 

From a letter: 

Farnborough Hill, 
October 2, 1886. 
Mme. Le Breton, M. Pietri and I dined alone 
yesterday evening, as the Empress had a bad 
cold and did not leave her own sitting-room, and 
after dinner we joined her there instead of going 
to the drawing-room as usual. ]\I. Pietri read 
aloud while we were working. The Empress, 
who is usually so industrious, could only listen, 
so overpowered was she with the grippe. 

There is one important room I have not yet 
described, namely the salo7i de travail de Vlm- 
peratrice. Descriptions of other parts of the 
house I quoted from letters or from notes taken at 
the time, but this room was overlooked, and 
though now retaining a very vivid recollection of 
it as a whole, I cannot be sure of remembering 
all the things in it. I sat in that room for the 
last time in 1889, the day my husband and I 
lunched at Farnborough Hill on our wedding 
tour. One then entered the room from the gal- 
leiy on the left. In the center was a large library 
table, and the Empress generally sat at this when 
not using a low wicker chair on the right of the 
fireplace writing on a huvard resting on her knees. 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

which was a favorite way with her. This central 
writing-table had on it all the necessary para- 
phernalia for the Empress's immense correspon- 
dence, besides several portraits — one of her son, 
and a miniature of her father, Don Cipriano, then 
Conde de Teba, and later on Conde de Montijo. 
This miniature shows a very fine face, rather 
spoiled by having a large black patch covering 
one eye. Together with this eye he had lost also 
a leg in the battle of Salamanca, fighting for 
Napoleon I. 

On other tables were numberless photographs 
of different royalties and friends. The English 
dynasty was well represented, and nearly all the 
portraits had autograph signatures. 

Opposite was a muUioned window, which 
looked out over a terrace. All around the room 
were low book-shelves about breast-high, contain- 
ing many of Her Imperial Majesty's favorite 
books, saved from the Tuileries. These volumes 
were very beautifully bound and many of them 
had the Empress's chiffre on them. On the top 
of the shelves were several bronzes and interesting 
ornaments. Turning one's back to the fireplace 
— on the right wall hung a life-size portrait of the 

38 



FARNBOROUGH HILL 

Emperor in court dress, with his legion dlionneur 
ribbon. I think the painting is by Cabanel, and 
I have heard from friends who knew His Im- 
perial Majesty intimately, that it was extremely 
like him. On the opposite wall were several 
modern pictures, one of which is particularly 
striking — a painting of an extremely graceful 
Eastern woman at a well. Next to it came a 
large bay-window with tiled jardinieres con- 
stantly replenished from the hothouses with ex- 
otic flowers, which gave forth a delicious perfume. 
Here were placed two or three wicker easy-chairs, 
in which the Empress used to be very fond of 
taking a sun bath, whenever the stingy English 
Sun-god permitted. Here also grew some pam- 
pas-grass brought by the Empress from Zulu- 
land, and which formed a kind of screen in front 
of the windows. The whole character of the 
room was one of luxurious comfort, joined with 
daintiness and good taste of arrangement. Be- 
yond the bay was another door, which opened 
into the cabinet de travail, a sort of inner sanctu- 
ary, her workshop so to speak, where she kept 
her embroidery and silks, and the frame for her 
larger pieces of work. Here, too, were more 

39 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

books, principally for reference, and at one end 
of the room a large mirror, which hid the safe 
containing all the important documents referred 
to in one of my letters. 

There was nothing else worthy of notice in 
this room, except a small picture, on the table, of 
Marie Antoinette at the age of fourteen. This 
portrait, I know the Empress Valued highly. 
The first day she showed it to me, she drew my 
attention to the fact, that the little arch-duchess 
seemingly pointed at a thin red line around her 
neck, namely a narrow ribbon, in accordance 
with the fashion of those days. The Empress 
seemed to consider this almost prophetic. ]\Iore- 
over, in connection with Marie Antoinette, the 
Empress invariably drew a parallel between 
that ill-fated queen and herself. She told us 
one day about her visiting Marie Antoinette's 
prison cell, incognita, on a certain Palm Sun- 
day during the Empire. To avoid crowds and 
recognition, she passed herself oflP with her ladies 
as a party of English tourists, she herself be- 
ing thickly veiled. The Empress said she was 
about the same height as Marie Antoinette, and 
though she had heard how the queen had knocked 

40 



FARNBOROUGH HILL 

her head as she entered the low-ceiled prison, 
and the scornful "Baisse-toi fiere Autrichienne I" 
from the jailer, in the painful interest of the mo- 
ment she forgot, and on entering the cell met with 
the very same accident herself. This impressed 
the Empress very unpleasantly, and she was so 
overcome for a minute or two that the custodian 
who v/as showing the party over the prison no- 
ticed it and said to the other ladies, "Vraiment, 
cette dame est bien-emotionee [Truly, that lady 
is greatly moved] !" During the twenty years of 
her reign, she often had the presentiment that 
she would die by the guillotine. The more en- 
thusiastic the people the more she expected sud- 
den changes in the affections of the mercurial 
French. 

From a letter: 

Famborough Hill, 
October 2, 1886. 
Her Majesty has been busy today planning a 
sort of museum she intends building near the 
coach-house for the reception of a number of 
beautiful things, far too many for the house 
proper, already well stocked — and these things 
are too interesting to be kept in obscurity. 

There are some pictures by Gudin awaiting a 
41 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

suitable resting-place; these have never been un- 
rolled since they came over from Paris/ Then, 
also, a grand piano most beautifully inlaid with 
ormolu v^^ork, a gift of the Emperor of Austria, 
and several glass cases filled to overflowing with 
precious souvenirs of all kinds. The gala car- 
riages, at present in the coach-house, are also to 
be removed to the museum. These are really 
magnificent. So sorry H. did not see them when 
she was here, for I am certain she never has, nor 
will again have the opportunity to gaze on the 
like. There is the coach the Empress drove in 
to be married — lined most beautifully with white 
satin and large enough for six or eight people; 
another carriage built either for her coronation 
or the baptismal ceremonial of the little Prince 
Imperial, and which is much more splendid even 
than the first, both interiorly and exteriorly. 
The hangings of the coachman's seat (or ham- 
mercloth, as they are called I think ) are of crim- 
son velvet, most splendidly embroidered in solid 
gold and embossed with pearls and precious 
stones. The Bonaparte family arms and eagles 
represent a magnificent piece of work. This one 
carriage alone cost, I was told, over 4000 pounds. 
The first time I visited the coach-house with 
M. and A. as guides, tlie head-coachman invited 

1 The Empress told us about some of her pictures which on ar- 
rival were found to be jabbed through and through by a bayonet 
or sharp knife — the work of some malevolent person. 

42 



FARNBOROUGH HILL 

us to get into the wedding coach and sit down 
in the Empress's place a moment, telhng us we 
were the first and only persons who had ever en- 
tered that carriage since it had been in his keep- 
ing. I pictured to myself how the Empress's 
heart must have throbbed with excitement, satis- 
fied ambition, and wondering doubts of the fu- 
ture, when she first took her place there ! Besides 
these two gala carriages, there is the Emperor's 
favorite brougham (the landau, victoria and 
brougham in daily use here now also came from 
the Tuileries) ; a sweet little goat carriage sent 
to the Prince Imperial by the Sultan of Turkey 
and one other of his babyhood vehicles; a very 
pretty sleigh, given by the Empress of Russia; 
and the trappings of the horses on state occasions, 
— oh! how we pitied the eight poor beasts who 
had to carry all that weight ! It was as much as 
we could do to lift one of the collar pieces with 
both hands. Hanging up in the coach-house 
were also the saddle and bridle of the little horse 
the Prince rode, as a boy of fifteen, at the battle 
of Sedan (his baptism of fire) , a number of other 
saddles, riding whips and pistols, and a great 
many more things than I can enumerate, which 
were most interesting to see and handle as I did 
that day. 



43 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

THE HOUSEHOLD AND ENTOURAGE 

From my diary: 

Mme. Poussin, or Marie, as the Empress used 
to call her, was the name of the housekeeper. 
Her husband was the Empress's favorite servant, 
and had been in the French army. He knew 
where everything of the Empress's was, and was 
constantly called upon to fetch things she wanted, 
and to do little errands. He was most devoted 
to his imperial mistress. Roulet was the name 
of another of the men, whom we used to find in 
the early morning sliding busily up and down the 
gallery, polishing the floor with the brushes 
strapped to his feet, and humming gaily to him- 
self. A special man was kept for cleaning silver, 
and his office was no sinecure. The men-serv- 
ants, as is usual in France, took entire care of all 
the sitting-rooms; the five housemaids officiating 
only on the bedroom floors. 

In the kitchen there was a chef and one aide. 
They must have been wonderfully industrious 
men, for they had to prepare all the meals for 
both tables, and at one time we sat down daily 
as many as twenty for lunch and dinner, and 
there were twenty-five house servants and visit- 
ing maids and valets to be fed besides.^ I often 

1 The two coachmen lived in picturesque little cottages on the 
estate or in the village of Farnborough; one, a burly and rather 

44 



FARNBOROUGH HILL 

wondered how these two men could achieve all 
the work this implied, for they had little assist- 
ance. 

The kitchen was a marvel. Several times I 
went through it with Mme. Le Breton, when she 
was ordering dinner, and it hardly seemed pos- 
sible to believe that work was going on in the 
place, all was in such perfect order. The nu- 
merous pots, for instance, all hanging in their 
respective places looking like burnished gold. 
One end of the huge central table was used as a 
chopping board, the other end covered with a 
spotless linen cloth, on which the many carving 
knives were arranged with exquisite neatness, 
like a surgeon's table. 

All the practical working details of the es- 
tablishment, management of servants, care of 
linen and furniture, etc., were attended to by 
Mme. Poussin, supervised by Mme. Le Breton. 
The latter, however, herself ordered all the din- 
ners; at least, she went into the kitchen every 
morning to confer with the chef concerning the 
two menus, previously prepared. 

I personally never heard the Empress, particu- 
lar as she was, find fault with anything but the 
chickens. She would say occasionally, regret- 
surly Englishman, the other a little wiry man who had been in a 
cavalry regiment and I think was the Prince's orderly in Zululand. 
Several grooms, gardeners and laundry people — quite a colony in 
all — occupied similar cottages. 

45 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

fully comparing a Farnborough to some French 
chicken: "Oh, Mme. Le Breton, parlez done au 
chef — 9a sent le poulailler [Oh, INIme. Le Breton 
do speak to the chef; this savors of the coop]!" 

UOjjice corresponded in some measure with 
the English still-room. Here of a morning the 
under-butler made delicate little cakes in paper 
cases, delicious fondants, marrons-glaces and 
crystallized fruits (fresh currants and other acid 
fruits dipped into boiling sugar), and prepared 
the butter in various ingenious shapes for the 
table. He had many other duties and was al- 
ways cheerful and obliging. He took charge of 
the mail and telegrams. He also kept time- 
tables, and looked up trains in brain-racking 
Bradshaws, which, together with his executive 
ability and very quiet composed manner, made 
him an invaluable servant to the Empress, espe- 
cially when traveling. 

The servants' hall was a large, pleasant room, 
opening with long French windows on to the 
entrance courtyard. It was simply and comfort- 
ably furnished. Here the special valet de service 
of the week and Poussin, who was always de 
service, held themselves in readiness to admit vis- 
itors or to be summoned by the Empress. There 
was a central table with books, newspapers and 
periodicals of the day; on the walls were several 
large paintings of the Emperor and Empress. 

46 



FARNBOROUGH HILL 

There was a library for the servants containing 
a good selection of standard French and English 
books. Poussin or Uhlniann, I forget which, 
was the librarian. 

The Empress with her usual executive good 
sense, never allowed her cooks and coachmen to 
be idle diu'ing her prolonged yearly absences 
from home. They were always given a good holi- 
day first and then put on board wages ; but their 
mistress insisted on their taking other places for 
the balance of her time abroad. She knew with 
accuracy in what houses the men took service, 
and saw to it that they remained there. 

Schmidt, an Alsatian, the old maitre d'hotel 
at Farnborough, whose duties on account of in- 
firmity and old age had become almost nominal, 
was a tall, fine old man, stooping slightly, and 
with his white hair and kindly beaming eye pleas- 
ant to look upon. He had been in the service 
of the Tuileries, and as soon as the Empress set- 
tled at Camden Place came at once, with several 
other of the domestics, to tender his services. 
When telling me about it one day, the Empress 
said how much this devotion touched her, in that 
hour of general abandonment and betrayal. She 
said these servants had nothing to gain by com- 
ing, offered to work for lower wages than they 
had been accustomed to, and several of them 
moreover had left their own families, besides the 

47 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

pleasanter life in France, to settle in an abso- 
lutely dull English village. Schmidt was tre- 
mendously attached to the imperial family. He 
could not control himself when he heard them 
spoken of without respect, with the consequence 
that he got into many scrapes in the old days. 

In the last months of the Empire, when public 
feeling was very strong against the Emperor and 
Empress, this was a frequent occurrence. She 
told us of one particular episode, which all but 
proved fatal to this bravely pugnacious servant. 
He heard a man in the crowd running down the 
Emperor. Schmidt reasoned quietly with him 
but without avail, for he got more abusive and 
violent, and attacked Schmidt, who excitedly de- 
fended himself. The crowd then took up the 
quarrel, and went howling after Schmidt, appar- 
ently ready to take his life. He fled, bleeding 
and dazed, into the fu*st house of which he found 
the door open, made his way upstairs, and sud- 
denly appeared, breathless, in the bedroom of a 
lady. "Madame, hide me," was all he had time 
to say. With great presence of mind this lady 
took in the situation and pushed him into an 
armoire a robes. A minute later the crowd came 
surging in and demanded that he should be given 
up to them. The lady's feigned astonishment 
and ignorance, combined with her coolness and 
polite invitation to look for themselves, put the 

48 




Elliot & Fry 



THE PRINCE IMPERIAL 



FARNBOROUGH HILL 

crowd off the scent and Schmidt's hfe was saved. 
He had ah-eady been very much knocked about 
though, was quite ill for a long time in conse- 
quence, and the Empress declared had never been 
the same again since that day. 

Uhlmann, another Alsatian, filled the position 
of steward, paid all the wages, the tradespeople, 
and the farm bills, attended to repairs, etc. He 
was directly under the orders of M. Pietri, who 
supervised his work, reports and accounts, before 
submitting them at stated times to the Empress. 
Uhlmann had been valet and body-servant to the 
Prince Imperial. He was a great big man, very 
serious, reliable, and invaluable in every way. I 
had several talks with him about the Prince, to 
whom he had been extremely devoted, and whose 
death was a blow which he could not get over. 
Uhlmann had been with him nearly all his life, 
at Chislehurst and at Woolwich, where the Prince 
was following his military training. He also 
went out to Zululand, and was with his young 
master till the very eve of his death. He was a 
most excellent person for any young man to have 
near him — perfectly straightforward, sincere and 
earnest. 

I never heard any one say a disparaging word 
of the Prince all the time I was at Farnborough, 
though Mme. Le Breton and M. Pietri could at 
times speak out very frankly about any one. He 

49 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

seems by common consensus of opinion to have 
been a wonderfully fine young fellow. Those 
who had only known him slightly were as loud 
in his praises, as those others who knew him more 
intimately. Uhlmann, who had had the greatest 
possible facilities for observation, spoke of him 
in glowing terms, and this means a good deal, 
for there are few exceptions, I believe, to the dic- 
tum, that "no one is a hero to his valet." From 
all Uhlmann said, with what I had already gath- 
ered from others, and they had all been friends 
of his childhood, I could reach only one verdict 
about him — that he was deeply and truly good.^ 
His chief characteristic seems to have been his 
wonderful truth of mind. He had a noble, 
straightforward nature, shunning pretense of all 
kind, and was deeply religious and spiritual- 
minded. He was beloved and looked up to by 
all his classmates at Woolwich, by all the serv- 
ants, by everybody in fact who had ever known 
and come in contact with him. The English sol- 
diers out in Zululand worshipped him, Uhlmann 
said, and no wonder, for besides his chivalrous 
and brave qualities, the Prince was always simple 
and generous, and shared everything with his 
comrades. When hampers of luxuries, in the 

1 1 got the same impression from Monsignor Goddard of Chisle- 
hurst, and his friend the old Abb6 Toursel of the "French Chapel" 
(the old historic Embassy Chapel) in London, the last outsider 
to see and talk with him before he sailed for Natal. 

50 



FARNBOROUGH HILL 

shape of food and other things, reached him from 
his mother, he insisted on dividing up with the 
men, in spite of protest from those in authority, 
who thought he needed the extra food himself, as 
he was not very rugged. 

Uhknann also told me that one of his most 
striking characteristics was absolute fearless and 
unashamed recognition of his religion. Even in 
Woolwich da3^s and camp life, and up to the very 
last night before starting on that fatal reconnais- 
sance trip, he never missed saying his evening 
prayers aloud. He would call Uhknann into his 
room and the two would kneel down together by 
the side of the bed, just as they had done always 
when the Prince was a little child. He never let 
anything interfere with his devotional duty. 

A mortuary card, of which the following is a 
translation, was given by the Empress to her 
niece M., who made it over to me: 

MOETUARY CAED OF THE PRINCE IMPERIAL. 

My last thought will be for my Country ; for her I 
would gladly give my life. [Extract from his will]. 

NAPOLEON 
Prince Imperial 

Born at the Tuileries March 16, 1856. 
Killed by the enemy in Zululand, June 1, 1879. 

51 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

This Prince bom to a throne, had a mind and heart 
even higher than his birth. The misfortunes of his 
house during his boyhood were unable to crush him, and 
from then on he showed much dignity, which owed noth- 
ing to good fortune. If he gained distinction from his 
rank he gained still more by his merit. [Bossuet — 
Oraison Funebre.^ 



He acted courageously; fearing nothing, he did not 
fear the enemy. [II Pascal XXXII: 7]. 



He died leaving to all an admirable example of faith 
and strength. [Adaptation II Maccabees VI:31]. 



Merciful Jesus, give him eternal rest ! 



Pray for the father and the son whom death has 
reunited. 

On the back of the mortuary card is a prayer 
which, written out in his own handwriting, was 
found in his prayer book by the Empress after 
his death. It gives an insight into the deeply 
spiritual aspirations of the young soldier-prince. 
A translation follows : 

My God, I give you my heart, but I beg You to give 
me Faith. Without faith there can be no ardent 
prayers, and prayer is a necessity of my soul. 

I beg You not to remove the obstacles that traverse 
52 



FARNBOROUGH HILL 

my life, but to permit me to overcome them. I beg of 
You — not that you may disarm my enemies but that 
you may help me to vanquish my own self. Deign, O 
God, to grant my prayers. 

Preserve to my aifection those who are dear to me. 
Grant them happy days. If You only wish to scatter 
over this world a certain measure of joy — take, O My 
God, the sum which would come to me, divide it up 
among the most worthy and may the most worthy be 
my friends. 

If You wish to chastise mankind — strike me. Mis- 
fortune is turned into joy by the sweet thought that 
those we love are happy. 

Joy is poisoned by the bitter thought : I myself re- 
joiced, while those whom I cherish a thousand times 
more than myself are suffering. 

For me, O God, no more happiness. I fly from it — 
take it from my path. My only joy is to be found in 
forgetfulness of the past. 

If I forget those who are no more, I shall be forgotten 
in my turn. How sad it is to think : Time effaces every- 
thing! The only comfort I seek is that which will 
last forever: that given by a peaceful conscience. O 
my God, show me ever plainly where my duty lies — 
give me the strength to carry it out on all occasions. 
When comes the end of ray life I shall then be able to 
look back over the past without fear. My memories will 
have no remorse in them. Then I shall be truly happy. 

O my God, make the conviction sink deep into my 
heart, that those I love and who are dead are the wit- 
nesses of all my actions. My life will then be worthy 
to be seen by them, and I will never need to blush at the 
most secret of my thoughts. 

53 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

Maria and Antonia de Vejerano, though al- 
ways called the Empress's nieces — but only so 
by courtesy because of the great disparity in ages 
— were in reality her cousins. I think they had 
a great grandmother (a Cabarus) in common. 
In any case, the girls and the Empress were all 
cousins of M. de Lesseps. They were pleasant, 
healthy-minded girls, affectionate and with nice 
dispositions, and accustomed to think of others 
first and themselves afterward. 

Two years after their visit to the Empress, Ma- 
ria married Paco de Ansaldo, and at their mar- 
riage her uncle gave her one of the numerous titles 
which he owned. They are now Count and 
Countess de San Enrique. Her husband occu- 
pies some position at the court of King Alfonso 
XIII, and she helps him in his literary work. 
She has now, I hear from her sister, several very 
beautiful children. Antonia a little later mar- 
ried Luis de Casanova. After a blissfully happy 
six months, he died, leaving her a widow at eight- 
een. She spent much time afterward at Farn- 
borough and traveled with the Empress, who was 
very fond of her. 

From my diary: 

First and foremost among the few faithful ad- 
54 



FARNBOROUGH HILL 

herents of the Empress, must be named the Due 
de Bassano, Napoleon Ungues Joseph Maret, 
son of Hugues Bernard Maret, first duke of the 
name, whose title was created by Napoleon I. 
He inherited from his birth in 1804 ^ traditions 
of devotion to the Bonaparte family, which were 
furthered by having Napoleon and the Empress 
Josephine for his godparents, and the little Roi 
de Rome for playmate; and these traditions were 
loyally maintained all his long life. The Em- 
press had no truer friend than he in her hours of 
need. ^VTiile others were leaving her to her fate 
he bravely spoke in her behalf before the Cham- 
bre des Deputes, trying vainly to turn the torrent 
of anger away from her, or at least to obtain aid 
from the provisional government for her protec- 
tion against the furious rabble. When her flight 
was un fait accomjjUj and she had landed penni- 
less in England, without a single, belonging but a 
few absolute necessaries hastily gathered to- 
gether, and lent her by Mrs. Evans and Lady 
Burgoyne, the duke followed her almost imme- 
diately with only a carpet-bag (so the Empress 
told us) , saying simply on arriving, "Madame me 
voici," and begging to be allowed to give her his 
services. She said he did it with so much cheer- 
ful grace, that she had not the heart to refuse 

iMany authorities say 1803; he himself gave the date as 1804. 
He died in Paris in 1898. 

55 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

his request, though she really had no means of 
maintaining a household. 

When Napoleon III died in January 1873, 
the widowed Eugenie offered the duke his free- 
dom to return to France and his family, from 
whom he had voluntarily separated himself in 
spite of his deepest affection for them. But he 
would not accept it and stayed on, unvaryingly 
cheerful, thoughtful and unselfish, with a quiet 
dignity that made you feel what a thorough gen- 
tleman he was. Again, after the Prince's death, 
the Empress gave him the chance of leaving her 
household, pointing out that conditions had 
changed and that there was no longer any reason 
for him to stay. But he again refused, and an- 
swered: "No, on the contrary Madame, now 
that you are entirely alone you need me all the 
more." 

The Duke has left a delightful picture of him- 
self in my memory as he was in 1886. A tall, 
handsome, dignified old man, with beautiful white 
hair; courteous to all, and with an especially 
chivalrous feeling toward women — the very type 
of the grand seigneur and preux chevalier of old, 
that one reads about but meets so rarely. 

Mme. Le Breton was a widow of long stand- 
ing, with several married sons and daughters, 
and was formerly one of the lectrices at the Tuil- 
eries ; and, alone of all the women in France, she 

56 



FARNBOROUGH HILL 

did not abandon the Empress, but accompanied 
her bravely on that eventful journey on the fifth 
of September when they fled from Paris. With 
the exception of a few short periods of absence 
for little holidays, she never left her imperial 
mistress' side through all those years. She was 
a most faithful friend, tried patiently to help and 
comfort the Empress and to make everything run 
smoothly, and this when Ma Souveraine, as she 
playfully called the Empress in speaking of her, 
was in such a state of nerves that she was often 
irritable and difficult to please. 

Mme. Le Breton was most capable and super- 
vised the household wonderfully. Everything 
was the pink of perfection with nowhere visible 
any hurry or fuss. She did not at all relish it, 
therefore, when the Empress on rare occasions 
made some criticism. It used rather to upset her 
equanimity and the Empress often rallied her 
about her sensitiveness. In my peregrinations 
on some mornings through the kitchen with her, 
I noticed that she kept the household rather in 
awe of her. This was really necessary, for she 
felt herself, and was ultimately, held responsible. 
Her position was a delicate one, but, considering 
the difficulties, she acquitted herself well and 
remained unusually cheerful. Always kind- 
hearted, a warm, enthusiastic friend, she de- 
lighted to welcome anybody who would bring a 

57 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

little change into the Farnborough milieu, since 
life for its members, who knew all the interesting 
things by heart and had no fm'ther stimulus of 
curiosity, was often monotonous in the extreme. 
Though mentally bright, Mme. Le Breton cared 
not a pin for scientific talk, which fact often an- 
noyed the Empress. What Mme. Le Breton 
loved was social chit-chat, and in consequence she 
thoroughly enjoyed her rare holidays, which put 
her in touch with her family and the old friends 
of the past, who flocked round her on her arrival 
in Paris, where she was a great favorite. Only 
duty and true affection had kept her near her 
mistress through those long years of dullness, for 
society was the breath of life to her.^ 

Mme. de Arcos, who has been almost a lifelong 
friend of the Empress, was a Miss Vaughan. 
Her father had been an English consul in one of 
the southern towns of Spain, and she and the 
Empress made each other's acquaintance many, 
many years ago in rather a strange way. This is 
the story the Empress told us one evening, while 
walking up and down the gallery, leaning on my 
arm as she often did. Their two mothers, the 
Countess Montijo and Mrs. Vaughan, were on 

1 She died at the age of eighty-two, very much regretted by the 
Empress and all her friends. In a letter received from M. Pietri, 
March 27, 1901, he gives me the details of her last illness, and 
thanks me de la part de S. M. I'lmp4ratrice for the share that I 
take in sympathizing with her great loss. 

58 



FARNBOROUGH HILL 

board ship going to England, where the Countess, 
who was ambitious for her beautiful daughter, 
was going to present her to Queen Victoria and 
bring her out in London society. Mrs. Vaughan 
was taking her daughter Christine to England 
also. It was very rough weather, and the two 
elder ladies were down below. The girls were 
on deck, but did not know each other then. It 
got more and more stormy, and Eugenie Mon- 
ti jo, violently sick, rushed to the side. The rail 
was quite low, and the seasick girl in such a state 
of indifference that she did not care whether she 
went overboard or not. Presently, she felt two 
arms put firmly around her waist with hands 
clasped in front, and she was dragged away. 
Struggling and indignant, she cried: "Leave 
me alone." Looking up, she saw a girl a good 
deal younger than herself, who spoke to her in 
English and told her that she was in a dangerous 
position, and helped her to a more comfortable 
place. The Countess Monti jo, when she heard 
later how her daughter had been rescued from a 
rather perilous position, sought out Mrs. 
Vaughan, to thank her. Thus the parents be- 
came acquainted, and a lifelong friendship be- 
tween the daughters resulted. 

Queen Victoria told the Empress on one of her 
visits to Windsor, that she well remembered her 
presentation that season as a young girl, and the 

59 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

impression made on her at the time. It was a 
semi-private audience, preceding a fancy ball at 
Buckingham Palace, and the Queen told her 
friend she even recalled the costumes worn on 
the occasion. Eugenie Monti jo was dressed as 
a Spanish Infanta, Queen Victoria as Queen 
Anne, and the Prince Consort as William of Or- 
ange. 

Naturally when Eugenie, Condesa de Teba, 
became Empress, Mme. de Arcos always found 
a welcome at the Tuileries, — the friendship was 
further cemented, — and she, in her turn, re- 
mained faithful to Her Imperial Majesty all 
through the life of exile in England. She is the 
woman with whom the Empress has been most in- 
timate, excepting, of course, Mme. Le Breton. 
It was Mme. de Arcos, an intimate friend of 
my aunt's, who suggested my name to the Em- 
press, and was thus instrumental in my spending 
those interesting months at Farnborough. I 
shall always feel a debt of gratitude toward her 
for this alone. 

One evening, walking up and down, the Em- 
press talked of audiences and some of her diffi- 
culties when first confronted with her royal po- 
sition and was saying how hard it had been to 
throw herself suddenty into this novel situation 
and how much she had had to learn. She then 
turned to me, laughing for a minute, and said: 

60 



FARNBOROUGH HILL 

"Well, you know. Mademoiselle, you embar- 
rassed me dreadfully that day I sent for you to 
come to London." I expressed my surprise. 
"Yes, you did indeed! I do not know when I 
felt so embarrassed, even in difficult situations at 
the Tuileries," she added, and explained that she 
had thought it encumbent on her to question me, 
and though she did not like to risk hurting my 
feelings, yet felt she must say something, for it 
would otherwise have seemed foolish to have re- 
quested an interview. She laughed again, and 
would not at first tell me why. "Never in your 
life could you guess the very first question I put 
to Mme. de Arcos about you. I said to her, 
'Now, Zizi, before you tell me anything further 
about Miss W. in the first place — louche t'elle?' " 
Noticing Mme. de Arcos's hesitation and sur- 
prise, the Empress insisted: "'Well, Zizi, you 
must be perfectly sure about this matter, for if 
you cannot put my mind at rest on this crucial 
point, I won't have another word said about Miss 
W. coming here. Even were she an angel from 
heaven I would not, under the circumstances, 
have her cross my threshold.' " 

The Empress added, sadly: "J'ai les person- 
nes qui louchent en horreur. Je ne puis me 
defaire de I'idee que I'oeil qui louche, accompagne 
aussi un esprit qui louche, et le maUieur m'est 
tou jours venu quand j'ai ete en relations avec 

61 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

une personne qui louchait." ^ She then men- 
tioned Trochu and Bazaine, as squinting men, and 
expressed her special and intuitive dishke of 
Trochu, who behaved so shamefully before the 
fall of the Empire. 

Mme. de Arcos's Belgravia house was always 
put at the Empress's entire disposal for any 
length of time she might wish, for either lunch or 
for resting, whenever she went up to town for 
shopping or for visits to the doctors. 

Dr. Frederick B. Scott, a surgeon-major in the 
English army at Aldershot, was a constant 
visitor at Farnborough, and the Empress was 
very fond of him in a kind of grateful way. He 
was an excellent surgeon and a most conscientious 
man, but he was not brilliant, nor a good con- 
versationalist. On any amiable pretext he could 
invent he came over to Farnborough — nearly 
every afternoon saw him walking or riding up 
the avenue. He had known and been devoted to 
the Prince Imperial, and accompanied him to Zu- 
luland, where he was supposed in an unofficial 
way, but more as a friend, to be in charge of the 
young man's health. He it was who went out 
to search for and finally found the Prince's mu- 
tilated body the day after the boy had been killed, 

1 "I have a horror of people who squint. I never can get rid of 
the idea that a squinting eye indicates also a spirit that is not 
straightforward. Misfortune has come to me every time I have 
had dealings with persons who squinted." 

62 



FARNBOROUGH HILL 

and later brought the corpse back to England in 
H. M. S. Orontes,^ and took a prominent part in 
the funeral." Since that event Dr. Scott has 
kept very much in touch with the Empress, and 
when she started for Zululand in 1880 accom- 
panied her, going over the ground and showing 
her the places of sad interest in the pathetic 
drama. 

Franceschini Pietri is a grandson of Paoli, the 
celebrated Corsican, and his mother was a Sebas- 
tiani, so that according to the Empress he is de- 
scended from Corsican patriots on both sides. 
He had been under-secretary to the Emperor and 
fought close beside him at the battle of Sedan, 
afterward sharing his imprisonment at Wilhelms- 
hohe. He is very intelligent, witty, has a great 
business capacity, and conceals a most excellent 
heart under somewhat brusque manners. "II se 
laisserait volontiers tailler en morceaux pour nous 
[He would voluntarily let himself be cut to pieces 
for us]," the Empress has often said of him to 
me, and I am sure it is true — though his constant 
devotion did not prevent his seeing through his 
imperial mistress's little foibles. His attitude at 
such times was manifested by a characteristic 

1 At Spithead the coffin was transferred to the Admiralty yacht 
Enchantress. 

2 In the party were also the Marquis de Bassano, Sir Evelyn 
and Lady Wood, and several other ladies who lost relatives in the 
Zulu War. 

63 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

gesture, an almost imperceptible smile and shrug 
of his shoulders while listening to her. He had 
lost all his worldly possessions when, in his ab- 
sence at the front, the Tuileries Palace was burnt 
down. He was a man of sterling worth and one 
of the most reliable people about the Empress. 



64 




1^ '; 





PART II 

DAILY events: FURTHER EXTRACTS FROM 
DIARY AND LETTERS 

Thursday, February 18. This afternoon went 
with the Empress to see the Renaissance Memo- 
rial Church, which is a building on a neighboring 
hill in the midst of pine woods, a few minutes 
off from this house. The upper church is near- 
ing completion ; its crypt, which is really an archi- 
tectural gem, is quite finished, and Napoleon 
Ill's polished, red granite sarcophagus (Queen 
Victoria's gift, transported from the Little Lady 
Chapel in St. Mary's Church at Chislehurst, with 
many wreaths and national private memorials ) is 
in place to the right of a small altar. The sar- 
cophagus of the Prince Imperial stands on the 
left, and a vacant place awaits the wife and 
mother in the center. The Empress told us of 
a rather strange coincidence. Without knowing 
it, she had selected haphazard out of a great 
many designs for the tessellated pavement, the 
very same one which is, at present, in the "In- 
vahdes" in Paris (where Napoleon I is buried), 
and where her husband and son would have been 

65 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

laid to rest had not untoward events in France 
interfered. 

From a letter : 

Farnborough Hill, 
February 20, 1886. 

Yesterday morning we had a little taste of 
sport. Her Majesty allowed the gentlemen of 
the neighborhood to come into her grounds with 
the beagles for a hare hunt. The huntsmen as- 
sembled and started from the park gates, the Em- 
press, Mme. Le Breton, M. Pietri, the girls and 
myself following, and keeping up with them for 
a little while. After losing sight of the sports- 
men for some time in the heat of the chase, we 
found them again on the common near the Em- 
press's woods in full tilt after the poor hare. We 
had a good deal of scrambling up and down to 
do, and were often ankle-deep in nuid, as the 
roads were very heavy. Poor Mme. Le Breton 
was tired out and was obliged to turn back alone, 
but we went on in spite of all, over stiles and 
through gaps in the hedges; the Empress was de- 
lighted to find that she got on just as well as the 
younger ones — in fact better than M., whose 
rather heavy build and sedentary bringing up in 
Spain have not made her very athletic. 

After luncheon we had some delightful music 
from Miss Smythe, who is quite a musical genius 

66 



DAILY EVENTS 

and spends most of her time in Germany studying 
for pleasure. One consolation, the Empress likes 
my simple playing quite as well as hers, and told 
us in the evening about a concert at the Con- 
servatoire, given for Queen Victoria and Prince 
Albert, which lasted four mortal hours, and even 
sent the music-loving Prince Consort to sleep, to 
the disgust of all Paris. The Empress said that 
she herself, though she adores music, always 
passed for not liking it, for she really had not the 
courage and hypocrisy to follow the score, to 
beat time, to nod her head and appear ravie for 
whole hours. She owns frankly to neither liking 
nor understanding classical music. This latter 
assertion is, I am sure, strictly true. My Pinson 
et Fauvette is banal and superficial enough to 
be her favorite, and she is always asking for it 
and enjoys it. The conversation turned on Sir 
Arthm* Sullivan (of Gilbert and Sullivan 
operatic fame), who has a little cottage in this 
neighborhood, where he retires from London 
when he wants to be quiet and work undisturbed. 
Sir Arthur told the Empress that just now he 
is writing to make money, but later on he is to 
bring out a serious opera he has on hand, which 
he hopes will add to his musical reputation. 

After dinner, it being Saturday, the Empress 
allowed us girls to go to the billiard-room with 
the gentlemen for a game of coclionnet, a rather 

67 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

amusing French game played on a small billiard 
table. The parti de cochonnet over, we all joined 
the Empress in the grand salon and did not go 
up to our rooms till 11:30, but had quite sleep 
enough, for on Sunday mornings our breakfast 
is brought up to our rooms, as is that of the Em- 
press and Mme. Le Breton, and we need only 
make our appearance at 9:30, at which time the 
various carriages are in readiness to take us to 
the soldiers' church at Aldershot. Called by 
courtesy a church, in reahty it is nothing but a 
dreary, barnlike structure, perfectly gaunt and 
bare, and used in rotation by all the various de- 
nominations of North Camp. The commanding 
officer (a Catholic) and others were at the door 
to receive the Empress, and conduct her up the 
aisle to the seat reserved for her. Before mass, 
at which we had some very mediocre military mu- 
sic rendered exclusively by Catholic soldiers, 
morning prayers were said, and later we had a 
nice practical sermon from Rev. Father Corbett, 
the army chaplain. We returned home in the 
same order as we came, the Empress and Mme 
Le Breton in a brougham and pair, the two gen- 
tlemen, M., A., and myself in a closed wagonette, 
the guard turning out and saluting with bugles 
as we passed the barracks. Before and after 
luncheon a little walk in the park, and afterward 
the Empress took me herself into the drawing- 

68 




THE MEMORIAL CHURCH, FARNBOROUGH HILL 
From a drawing by B. B. Long 



DAILY EVENTS 

room and the salon de V Imperatrice , showing me 
everything and telling me the history of the beau- 
tiful things there. 

Now, dear, I must say good-by. This will 
probably be my first and last free time today, as 
it is just the rosary hour; then afternoon tea, 
and as a very extraordinary^ Spanish lady, the 
wife of General B., invariably comes to that 
little social gathering on Sundays, we shall have 
to sit indefinitely round the tea tray, listening to 
her very amusing stories in excruciatingly bad 
French. The Empress says she is as good as a 
play, and it distracts and amuses her to hear this 
visitor rattle on. 

P. S. 11 p. M.— Bedtime. Yes, Mrs. B. is in- 
deed as good as or better than the majority of 
plays — she kept us all in fits of laughter; the 
poor General does not seem to enjoy it though. 
He was as quiet as a mouse all tea time, and gave 
us plenty of occupation passing him cakes, and 
bread and butter, and refilling his cup. Instead 
of tea the Empress takes a small cup of boihng 
water with about a teaspoonful of milk in it, and 
no sugar. It must be a very horrid concoction, 
I think, but she finds it agrees with her better. 
I do not think you would hke that brew, nor in- 
deed any of the tea we drink here. What one 
gets of the flavor is dehcious, but it is terribly 
weak. The Empress says that the Prince of 

69 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

Wales, when at home, has an urn and cups 
brought in every evening now at nine o'clock, and 
he also takes a hygienic cup of hot water, but per- 
fectly plain. He does not even pretend it is tea. 
Tomorrow Mme. de Arcos arrives on a visit; 
and soon the Empress and she, accompanied by 
the Due de Bassano, are going to Windsor 
Castle. She has promised her nieces not to be 
long away — if possible only two days. We shall 
miss her dreadfully. 

Monday, February 22. Mme. de Arcos ar- 
rived for luncheon. She was very gay, talked 
politics, and told us amusingly about the Queen's 
present dilemma . Each of the duchesses of the 
realm has offered excuses why she should decline 
being Mistress of the Robes, which is particularly 
awkward, as her English Majesty will have no 
one but a duchess. 

Wednesday, February 24. Lady Jane Tay- 
lor, sister of the Duchess of Wellington, called 
with her daughter at afternoon tea time. After 
the rosary, the Empress showed me over her 
own bedroom, the Due de Bassano's apartments, 
and other rooms. 

This evening, during our after-dinner consti- 
tutional, the Empress gave us a most impressive 
and graphic account of her flight from Paris, a 
theme about which so much has been written, 

70 



DAILY EVENTS 

and so many false versions circulated even by 
well-meaning people, that it was doubly interest- 
ing to hear the details of it from her own lips/ 
She dwelt first a good deal upon the horrors of 
the war and its fearful anxieties. Appointed Re- 
gent in 1870, during the Emperor's absence, she 
was alone in Paris from July to September, and 
the strain of responsibility and anxiety was per- 
fectly terrible. She never slept except with the 
aid of chloral, and often then had to be wakened 
up from her absolutely necessary though fitful 
slumber, to peruse telegrams arriving from the 
seat of war. 

The people howled around the Tuileries all 
night, for they hated her for the share they sup- 
posed she took in causing the war. In telling 
us all this in French, the Empress said: "Oui, 
j 'ai passe quelques moments terribles de Juillet 
a Septembre. Rien dans la nature — ni tempetes, 
ni elements courrouces — ne pent donner la moin- 
dre idee de 1 'horreur d 'un peuple en fureur. 
A moins de le voir, personne ne pent se figurer ce 
qu 'est toute une populace hurlant contre vous 
— c'est atroce ! ^ 

1 On going up to my room within an hour of her recital, I 
made careful notes, from which this account, with very slight 
alterations mainly for the sake of clarity, has been written. 

2 "Nothing in nature, neither storms nor the angry elements can 
give one the faintest idea of a people in violent anger. Without 
experiencing it, no one can imagine what it means to have a whole 
populace howling against you — it is horrible ! " 

71 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

She then told us how several times, when she 
was presiding at a council of war, malicious tele- 
grams arrived announcing that the Emperor and 
her son were dead. She had to open these des- 
patches, read them in public, and preserve her 
composure, while her mind was racked with un- 
certainty. When the signal defeats of the 
French army by the Prussians came about, simi- 
lar false messages about husband and son were 
constantly arriving at the palace at night, and 
she was driven nearly out of her senses. 

After common report asserted that the Em- 
press had already left Paris, she stayed on one 
night longer, and left the capital the next day 
with Mme. Le Breton and Dr. Thomas W. 
Evans, an American — the court dentist. While 
foreign ambassadors and officials stood aloof 
fearing to implicate their governments, he came 
forward and put himself at her service in a most 
devoted and opportune way. Report said also 
that she was disguised, but she told us, and re- 
peated it emphatically several times, that she 
never did and never would disguise herself. She 
refused absolutely to wear even a thicker veil than 
usual, and was dressed in her ordinary clothes — a 
simple black dress, hat and cloak, such as she wore 
every day in her private life at the Tuileries.^ 

1 This was her own description of herself to me and I wrote it 
down within an hour. Since then in reading over my notes I won- 

72 



DAILY EVENTS 

The idea of disguising herself was hateful to her 
pride, though she was taking great risks in re- 
fusing to do so. 

These three persons then left Paris on the fifth 
of September, in Dr. Evans's private carriage, 
driving down the rue de Rivoli in plain view of 
everybody. While so doing the Empress, who 
would not even consent to sit back out of sight as 
her companions implored her to do, was recog- 
nized by a little patissier boy, who began shouting 
excitedly: "The Empress!" Every one was on 
the qui vive, and, her life being eagerly sought 
by many, the situation at the outset of this 
eventful journey became critical in the extreme; 
but Dr. Evans, with great presence of mind, 
turned the tide of thought in another direction. 
Jumping out of the carriage, he caught the of- 
fending boy by his collar, shook him roughly, 
saying: "You little ragamuffin, how dare you 
cry, 'Long live the Empress'!" jumped back into 
the carriage with lightning speed and drove off, 
leaving the dazed boy neither time nor wits to 
even reason out how he had "put his foot into it." 
The patissier probably kept his impressions to 
himself after this, and as a crowd had had no 
time to gather, the incident fortunately caused no 
disastrous consequences.^ 

dered at the plain black dress, but an account in a book by her 
intimate friend, Mme. Carette, tallies with mine. 

1 One man, Her Imperial Majesty said, wrote openly to the 

73 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

Once outside the gates of Paris (which only a 
thoughtfully prearranged scheme and much 
ready wit had enabled them to pass with im- 
punity), Dr. Evans took the first opportunity to 
send his carriage back by another barriere, and 
the journey, on which they met with unheard of 
difficulties, began in dead earnest. 

Thej^ proceeded slowly, sometimes walking so 
as to leave no trace of themselves, sometimes, 
when it seemed feasible, hiring a vehicle to get 
over the ground a little quicker. At one time it 
was raining hard, but there was nothing for it 
but to walk a long distance across open fields 
and then stand in the shelter of a barn door, 
while Dr. Evans reconnoitered and made further 
plans. They were of course anxious to avoid 
railroads as much as possible, as the Empress was 
being watched for everywhere and on the rail- 
roads in particular, as the most probable egress 
for her. Often, after much plodding over 
ploughed fields. Dr. Evans tried vainly to hire a 
vehicle for the two footsore women. At last he 
succeeded, and they drove for some distance, dis- 
cussing eagerly the while about the next move. 
Dr. Evans thought it might be prudent to test 

papers, declaring he had gone to the Tuileries with the mob, pre- 
pared to kill her, and deplored the fact that she had left, and that 
he had arrived just five minutes too late. So the success or non- 
success of her flight was really an actual matter of life or death, 
and not only polite fiction. 

74 



DAILY EVENTS 

the sentiments of the driver and see what kind 
of a man he was, before deciding anything fur- 
ther. Making a pretext of better seeing the 
country, he sat outside with the driver and began 
chatting with him. 

"Eh bien, quelles nouvelles de Paris?" asked 
Dr. Evans. 

"Ah," excitedly, "vous ne savez done pas?" 

"Non," answered the doctor. 

"Ah ! Elle nous a echappe !" 

"Qui done?" asked Dr. Evans, with as much 
ignorant indifference as he could feign. 

"Mais — cette maudite femme — cette Impera- 
trice! Ah! [with horribly abusive epithets and 
gestures suggestive of strangling] si je la tenais 
. . . elle ne mourrait que de mes mains!" ^ 

Dr. Evans tried to appear pas au courant and 
did not dare, of course, to defend the Empress, 
but he thought, that considering the would-be- 
victim was within a few inches of this blood- 
thirsty individual, the cabriolet was decidedly an 
unsafe place. Quarrehng about the fare accord- 

1 " Well, what news from Paris?" asked Dr. Evans. 

"Ah, you don't know, then?" excitedly. 

"No !" answered the doctor. 

" Ah, she has escaped us ! " 

"Who?" again asked Dr. Evans, with as much ignorant indif- 
ference as he could feign. 

"Why, that cursed woman — the Empress! Ah, if I only got 
hold of her — she would die by niy hands ! " 

75 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

ingly, he dismissed the man and got his compan- 
ions away as quickly as he could. 

It proved impossible to find any other vehicle 
and they had to walk on again across country, 
and strike out finally for the nearest railroad. 
Here they sat down nearly exhausted, on a bench 
in the httle waiting-room of a small wayside sta- 
tion. Dr. Evans kept his ears diligently listen- 
ing for reports, on which they might possibly 
shape their plans. At his wits' end how to con- 
ceal the well-known and strikingly beautiful 
woman from observation, he bought a newspaper, 
opened it out and pushed it into the Empress's 
hands as she sat there dazed and passive, saying, 
"Read that." Thus he forced her to keep this 
shght, temporary screen in front of her and 
hoped devoutly the peasants might not recognize 
her. 

The fugitives waited what seemed to them an 
endless time for a train going in the direction they 
desired. Many market people sauntered in and 
out with their baskets on their arms, the Empress 
risking recognition every instant, and escaping 
in a seemingly miraculous way, till finally the 
train they were to take drew into the station. 

The chef de gare then threw open the waiting- 
room doors and began to hustle the people out 
on to the platform. He seemed particularly to 
push the Empress, taking her by the arm and 

76 



DAILY EVENTS 

speaking very roughly. She told us that she 
could not help a first impulse to resent such a 
liberty, but of course had to control herself and 
submit. It was a tremendous transition from the 
treatment she had hitherto received, — even a few 
days before the utmost deference, and now 
rudely jostled with a crowd of peasants. She 
sadly reflected how quickly the change had been 
effected. 

She got meekly into a third-class compartment 
with her two companions. Just as the train was 
moving off the rude station master jumped up 
on the steps, and, to her great surprise, touched 
his cap respectfully, reached his hand into the 
carriage while taking hers, and, bending over it, 
kissed it. He had recognized his sovereign, and 
his officious attitude with the people was evi- 
dently assumed to help her escape observation. 
This incident comforted her a little, and she told 
it to us with a break in her voice. 

The next place they stopped was a common 
auherge, and here the Empress had to feign ill- 
ness and go to bed, to avoid appearing in the 
public eating-room. During the several days it 
took to reach Deauville, all the food she tasted 
consisted of scraps that Mme Le Breton had been 
able to pocket surreptitiously. She never got a 
regular meal, nor had her clothes off her back 
all that time. 

77 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

Finally they arrived at their destination, ut- 
terly worn out, and went at once to the hotel 
where Mrs. Evans was spending the season with 
her family; she had been notified beforehand of 
their probable arrival. The Empress was im- 
mediately taken up an unused staircase to Mrs. 
Evans's own bedroom, where she was locked in 
until midnight. Here her hostess paid her occa- 
sional stolen visits and smuggled up some food 
to her, but was not able even now to give her a 
properly served meal. Mrs. Evans could not do 
so without the servants' knowledge, and as they 
were strangers to her, and then- character and 
sentiments unknown, it was felt that, with such a 
prize as the imperial head, the temptation to be- 
trayal might possibly prove too strong. No 
one, therefore, was intrusted with the weighty 
secret. 

The Empress's plan was to get to England, 
but of course traveling on the public steamers was 
out of the question, and Dr. Evans tried among 
the yachtsmen to find some one willing to take the 
fugitives across the Channel. Several refused 
point-blank, not liking the responsibility and 
complications that might arise out of such action. 
Sir John Burgoyne, when appealed to, gallantly 
declared he would be dehghted and that he would 
risk anything to help; but added that his yacht 
was very small (only 40 tons) and with ladies 

78 



DAILY EVENTS 

aboard not really fit to cross the Channel in such 
a gale. However, he said, if the Empress was 
willing to risk a rough and dangerous passage, 
he would be only too glad to put the Gazelle at 
her disposal. Eugenie told us she would never 
to her dying day forget their tragic walk down 
to the quay in the darkness. Mme. Le Breton 
and Mrs. Evans walked ahead to see that all was 
safe. Dr. Evans and the Empress following. 
Everything was ominously still except the sea, 
which was lashed into a perfect fury.^ 

In the early morning the Gazelle at last got 
under way, and the fugitives felt comparatively 
safe for the time being. Nothing, during the 
trip, could equal Lady Burgoyne's eager and 
tender, womanly kindness to the Empress, who 
told us that her sense of humor obliged her, even 
in the midst of all her own misery, fatigue and 
seasickness, to see the ludicrous and incongruous 
side of things and to laugh at intervals during 
this terrible voyage. Lady Burgoyne's principal 
idea of available help in the way of food was a 
crust of bread and champagne, which she was 
constantly pressing on her two guests, who lay 
wretchedly helpless and utterly exhausted in their 
tiny bunks. 

1 On that very night Sir John lost his nephew, Captain Sir 
Hugh Burgoyne, who was in command of one of the most power- 
ful British men-of-war, which mysteriously disappeared at the 
mouth of the Channel. 

79 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

Only after twenty-four weary hours did the 
yacht reach England, at Ryde, both passengers 
and crew having many times during the gale 
thought they would never see shore again. The 
Empress had no idea on landing where to look for 
her son — nothing but conflicting information as 
to his whereabouts greeted her. He was sup- 
posed, after the battle of Sedan, to have gone to 
Belgium and have since arrived somewhere in 
England, but there was also another report to 
the effect that he and Comte Clary, his tutor, 
had been killed. Neither could the Empress find 
her two Alva nieces,^ who had lived with her at 
the Tuileries since their mother's death in 1860. 
On account of possible danger they had been 
sent on to England, some time ahead. They 
were supposed to be at Brighton, but on reach- 
ing the hotel indicated they were reported gone, 
and had left no clue as to their whereabouts. 
Later on the whole party was discovered safely 
housed at Hastings, and the two Spanish girls 
had chosen that opportune time to indulge in 
measles. From Hastings the whole family soon 
after moved to Chislehurst, where Mr. Stroud 
very courteously put his residence, Camden 
Place, at their disposal. 

3 One became Duquesa de Medina Celi and died after a year of 
marriage, much admired and beloved; the other became Duquesa 
de Tamames. 

80 



Mil 



m- 




A^Jlt.l_^.3^^i^^ 



,.^;^^ 



, i 



^-"t 



• , ^'*4j<> *^ 



DAILY EVENTS 

When the Empress had finished telHng us all 
these thrilling adventures, she continued walk- 
ing for a few paces in silence and deep thought; 
then added, "Je ne sais pas comment je ne suis 
pas devenue f olle, a bien des moments de ma vie ! 
Aussi, on comprend 1 'etat de mes nerfs a pres- 
ent!" ^ She then went on and told us, that on 
March 20, 1871, after his release from imprison- 
ment in Wilhelmshohe, the Emperor arrived in 
Dover. She and her nieces went there to meet 
him, and many thousands of sympathetic Enghsh 
gave him an enthusiastic welcome. That day 
at the famous Dover hotel, the Lord Warden, the 
imperial party by a strange coincidence, came 
face to face in a narrow corridor with the Orleans 
family. They were about to reenter France 
after many years of exile in England. Napoleon 
III was leaving France and going into exile from 
which he was never to return. The contrast of 
the situation was sharp. 

The two parties met, as I say, in a narrow pas- 
sage. They eagerly scrutinized each other, this 
being their very first meeting. Then, on a sign 
from the Empress, she and her nieces, and attend- 
ants drew up against the wall, courtesying low 
to the Orleans family, as they passed along on 
their way toward home and country. 

1 " I do not know how I kept my sanity in many trying episodes 
of my life. My present state of nerves is easily understood." 

81 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

From a letter : 

Famborough Hill, 
Saturday, February 27, 1886. 

As M. Pietri is away, we now have one game 
of cochonnet every evening with the Duke, who 
otherwise would have no one to play billiards 
with, and who misses his one tame little bit of 
gaiety very much. He is such a dear old man, 
and wonderful for his age, and so kind, so courte- 
ous, and so dignified, and yet so amusing. He 
has been suffering lately from indigestion and 
heartburn, but he is so patient and nice about 
it. In answer to the Empress's daily inquiry, 
"Eh bien, mon cher Due, comment cela va-t-il 
aujourd 'hui?" he answers simply, "J 'ai encore 
le fer chaud, Madame; que votre Majeste ne 
se preoccupe pas. Ca n'est rien — tout passe!" ^ 

Yesterday being our staying-up-late evening, 
I was at the piano a good deal, each time the 
Empress asking for "More! — ^more!" The Mu- 
sic Box appeared to delight her, she found it such 
a close imitation of a real one. 

Thursday, March 4. Mme. Le Breton spent 
the day in London. We three girls took a long 
walk with the Empress in the morning, and drove 

1 " Well, my dear Duke, how are you today ? " "I have the hot 
iron today. I beg your Majesty not to preoccupy yourself on ray 
account — it is nothing — everything comes to an end." 

82 



DAILY EVENTS 

with the Due de Bassano in the afternoon, when 
he spoke of many interesting things. He told 
us a good deal about the poor demented Empress 
Charlotte, sister of Leopold II of Belgium and 
widow of the Archduke Maximilian, made Em- 
peror of Mexico in 1864 and shot in Quaretaro, 
June 19, 1867. The Due de Bassano's daugh- 
ter. Baroness d 'Hoogworth, lady-in-waiting to 
the Queen of the Belgians, occasionally passes 
a day with the ex-empress at Laeken, near Brus- 
sels. For many previous years she used to spend 
her time in front of an easel, painting and repaint- 
ing her husband's portrait, or writing pathetic 
letters, begging and imploring different sover- 
eigns of Europe to give her soldiers and means to 
help her Maximilian (long since shot down by his 
rebellious subjects). Charlotte's latest craze, 
and she has had many and varied ones, the Duke 
says, is not to allow her ladies to eat anything 
at mealtimes. The Duke also said he remem- 
bered her as young and gay on her first visit to 
Vienna after her marriage. On her arrival it 
was discovered that all her baggage had been de- 
layed on the road, and not having a court dress 
to appear in, she had to stay in her room durmg 
the official reception given in her honor. 

From these matters we drifted into talking of 
audiences, for one of his duties as Grand Cham- 
berlain was to interview the people who came to 

83 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

the Tuileries, asking for audiences, or who had 
petitions to present to the Emperor. The Duke 
told us many interesting incidents that happened 
in consequence. 

One poor widow, who had lost her only son, 
her mainstay, had come to beg assistance of the 
always accessible sovereign. After seeing him 
she returned triumphantly to thank the Due de 
Bassano for his good offices. In her gratitude 
she recounted the Emperor's kindness to her: 
"Ah, Monsieur," she said, "que 1 'Empereur est 
bon; il a bien voulu se mettre en redingote, parce- 
qu 'il ne voulait pas trop m 'impressioner." ^ 
The poor woman evidently thought that robes 
of state were always worn, and that the Emperor 
had only donned civilian clothes out of delicate 
regard for her feelings. 

In the evening after dinner the subject of au- 
diences again came up in conversation, and this 
time it was the Empress who told us her experi- 
ences. 

She said how trying the hours of audiences 
were, as she was obliged to give them standing. 
If once she allowed people to sit down, she found 
from experience she never could get rid of them. 
Women were the hardest to deal with ; they would 

1 " Ah, sir," she said, "how good the Emperor is — he very 
kindly wore plain clothes — so as not to overawe me!" 

84 



DAILY EVENTS 

stick pertinaciously to their request however 
ridiculous. 

A country woman was ushered in one day and 
gave, with much excitement, the details of a great 
plot she said she had discovered — hidden bombs, 
etc., — and tried to intimidate the Empress, who 
suspected the woman's sincerity and the truth 
of her narrative. She tested the woman by turn- 
ing the tables on her, and in her turn frightening 
her. Feigning to believe her statements, the 
Empress told her that she would certainly be ar- 
rested for complicity in the j^lot. The terrified 
woman then threw herself on her knees and 
begged for mercy, confessed to her Empress that 
the whole story was pure invention, and that she 
had only taken this mysteriously threatening atti- 
tude for the sake of obtaining an audience; what 
she really wanted was only "U-ne pe-ti-te bas- 
til-le," which the Empress — mimicking her queer 
petitioner, — pronounced with a strong Marseil- 
lais accent, and which she told us meant merely, a 
little house. 

Here is another audience our hostess told us 
about, which showed how constantly she had to 
keep her wits about her, not to be hoodwinked. 
A very saintly-looking Dommican monk one day 
early in her reign craved admittance to her pres- 
ence in the Tuileries. It was neither the regular 

85 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

day nor hour for audiences, but as the monk said 
he had come from the celebrated Pere Lacordaire, 
who was well known to the Empress and often 
sent her urgent cases for immediate rehef, the 
Dominican was welcomed and listened to. He 
made a very thrilhng appeal for his monastery. 
The Empress, who was much touched by his 
pathetic story of emergency regretfully admitted 
she had not at that moment in cash the sum re- 
quired, but she would try to obtain it, and send 
it to his address before night. This he did not 
seem to relish; said he was very sorry but that 
arrangement, unfortunately, would be of no use, 
as urgent circumstances obliged him to leave 
Paris before evening! The Empress in her im- 
pulse to help, then bethought herself of the Em- 
peror, who was busily working near by. She left 
the monk for a moment and went into the ad- 
joining room to ask her husband for an addition 
to the sum she herself had in hand, which was 
1500 francs. The Emperor questioned her 
about the case, disapproved of her giving in this 
offhand way, and though always so generous 
himself, absolutely refused for once to help. 
Doubts having been thus raised in her mind by 
the Emperor's firmness, something in the monk's 
attitude as she reentered the room further aroused 
her suspicions of him. She noticed a certain dis- 
comfort in the way he walked; he entangled his 

86 



DAILY EVENTS 

legs as if not very much at home in his habit. As 
soon as the monk had left the palace, the Empress 
sent quickly for her chef de police and had the 
case investigated. No such Dominican was 
known to Pere Lacordaire ; the monk was just a 
dressed-up swindler. This was a lesson and 
made her less apt, she said, to act on sympathetic 
impulses without due inquiry first. 

Friday, March 5. At dinner we talked about 
nuns, monks and religious vocations. The Em- 
press said she thought, provided the vocation was 
real, that it was the happiest lot in life — with its 
absence of sordid care and anxiety, its peace, its 
quiet and regular work. She added, it was only 
steady occupation which made life bearable in 
her case. She asked a good deal about I. and F., 
and their respective convent and monastery, hav- 
ing evidently in mind to glean all possible in- 
formation which might be useful for her own 
monastery adjoining the Memorial Church. She 
declared she would probably decide to have Bene- 
dictines there in charge. 

Saturday, March 6. M. D 'Antas, the Portu- 
guese ambassador, came to pay his respects. The 
Empress started for Winsdor later, and we went 
as usual to the gymnastic class at Aldershot. 

Monday, March 8. Went up to London on 
the 12:45 train with M. and A. At Mme. 

87 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

de Arcos's house we met the Empress, who was 
returning from Windsor. 

In the evening, owing to her return from 
Windsor, the Empress naturally told us a good 
deal about her visit, and the way she usually 
spends her time there ; the kind of hf e they lead at 
the castle ; some special visits in her private apart- 
ments; and the routine of the day. She ex- 
pressed her dislike to being dressed up — they 
change their costumes in the royal household four 
times daily, and to the quiet Empress it meant 
bustle and rush all day long.^ She told us, too, 
of the fuss and commotion caused by the break- 
ing of a drainpipe near her room, and how 
anxious the Queen was, — dreading typhoid, al- 
ready so fatal in her family. The Empress's 
party had to move over into another wing of the 
castle in consequence. 

She explained also, how frigid it always is at 
the castle, especially after dinner. The Queen's 
love of fresh air and cold is phenomenal, and a 
window is always open where she sits. This is 
hard on the ladies-in-waiting, who, in the evening 
of course, have to be decolletee in all seasons. 

1 The Empress always (even in the heyday of her glory) put 
on early in the morning the dress she was going to wear all day, 
till she changed it for dinner. She expressed admiration for the 
English in this respect, as well as her dislike for the laziness of 
certain women of fashion, who spent half their waking hours at 
home in the negligees and tea gowns, which type of garment she 
thoroughly despised. 

88 




THE EMPRESS EUGENIE AXD NAPOLEON III WITH THE PRINCE IMPERIAL 



DAILY EVENTS 

The Empress told us an amusing little anecdote 
about Princess Beatrice, who, one particularly 
chilly evening, rather mischievously ran into the 
drawing-room ahead of her royal mother, quickly 
put the thermometer outside the window for a 
few moments and then hung it deftly back again 
in its accustomed place. The Queen, on entering 
the room, glanced mechanically at the thermom- 
eter, looked puzzled, and expressed her surprise 
at the low temperature registered. As soon as 
she had turned her back, the mercury naturally 
rose, but the Queen, once satisfied by her hasty 
glimpse at the instrument, sat down, perfectly un- 
aware of the trick played upon her, and the ladies 
had a more comfortable evening in consequence. 
Poor Princess Beatrice is nearly driven wild; 
she has so much given her to do and not half 
enough time to do it in. She is constantly at 
the Queen's beck and call and never even sits 
down to write a letter, so her imperial friend 
says, without constantly being sent for by her 
mother. Her only real leisure is after a nine- 
fifteen dinner and the later social reunion of the 
royal household at ten o'clock (every one stand- 
ing the while) . She and her husband then go to 
their own suite of rooms at 11 p. m., and enjoy 
each other's society and their absolute freedom. 
The Queen then regularly settles down to several 
hours serious work, which does not prevent her 

89 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

from being up betimes ; and it behooves her ladies 
not to be lagging either. If she makes others 
work hard, she at least sets them a good example. 
Every state document passes under her own eyes 
and is thorouglily mastered by her. She keeps 
well up in current English, French and German 
literature, and is an excellent linguist, as indeed 
are all the other members of the royal family. 

Princess Beatrice in talking to the Empress 
about her husband. Prince Henry, and of Kai- 
ser William's persistently unkind treatment of 
him, told her "auntie" that when her betrothed 
went to announce his prospective marriage at 
Berlin, the German Empress, in audience, kept 
him standing like a stranger the whole time. 
Moreover, when because of his betrothal to an 
English Princess he sent in his army demission 
to the Kaiser, Prince Henry waited and waited 
in vain for the document to be ratified, and ap- 
parently his communication was taken no notice 
of. In the meantime, the day fixed for the wed- 
ding was approaching rapidly; he could delay 
no longer, so he decided to start for England, 
preter serinent a la Heine without the Kaiser's 
ratification, and shortly after the nuptial cere- 
mony took place. 

Kaiser William when he heard of it was per- 
fectly furious, as his telegram in answer to the 

90 



DAILY EVENTS 

Queen's announcement of Beatrice's marriage, to 
the German court, shows. All he replied to his 
royal and imperial grandmother was: "Je viens 
d'apprendre I'etonnante nouvelle." ^ 

His wife says that if Prince Henry were now 
to return to Prussia he would be liable to five 
years' imprisonment as a deserter. Princess 
Beatrice further told the Empress that he feels 
intensely the rude and unkind treatment he has 
been subjected to, and is so extremely amiable 
and unassuming that it comes doubly hard on 
him. "If he were a criminal," she added, "they 
could hardly treat him more scornfully!" Prin- 
cess Beatrice also spoke of her present anxiety 
about Prince Alexander of Bulgaria, Henry's 
brother. His relatives quite expect that he will 
be assassinated some day, and her husband has 
not the heart to open the telegrams, so she does it 
herself. 

The Queen, in many ways so domestic and 
simple, is a great stickler for etiquette and 
precedent, and certain forms of deference are 
insisted upon in her presence. This must try 
her ladies in more ways than one, for possessing 
great physical strength she sees no reason, for in- 
stance, why they should not, well or ill, stand 
almost indefinitely in her presence. The Em- 
press said it often made her own back ache sym- 

i"I have just heard the astonishing news." 

91 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

pathetically, thinking about the poor maids of 
honor as they stood up hour after hour behind 
the Queen's chair. They were expected, too, 
whatever the weather, to take long walks with 
their royal mistress.^ The robust Queen was evi- 
dently unaware of the hardships these more deli- 
cate women underwent, for nobody could have 
been more usually considerate, kind or sym- 
pathetic, than she. 

As an instance of her thoughtfulness, the Em- 
press was much surprised, she told us, the first 
Friday she spent at Windsor, at finding a whole 
maigre dinner specially prepared for her. The 
service was so quietly and beautifully arranged 
that the many courses of the two dinners went on 
simultaneously, without any one noticing any- 
thing unusual but the one guest to whom the 
special dishes were presented. The table deco- 
ration on this particular day, the Empress re- 
called, consisted of blocks of ice in the center, sur- 
rounded by choice cut begonias. 

1 The Queen while temporarily lame often drove in her private 
grounds, both at Windsor and at Osborne, in a bath chair drawn 
by a favorite donkey, and the Empress recalled many a time 
when she had walked by her side. One day in particular stands 
out. As the conversation between the two ladies waxed more and 
more interesting, the Queen unconsciously, if gradually, acceler- 
ated the speed of the donkey, till, getting no response to what 
she was saying, she turned in surprise to find even the quick- 
walking Empress speechless with lack of breath. The 
ladies-in-waiting cast a look of gratitude on the Empress, who, 
gasping for breath, explained the situation. 

92 



DAILY EVENTS 

Here is another anecdote lately told the Em- 
press by the Queen, herself, in course of conver- 
sation, and which her imperial guest brought 
back to us. It shows the Queen's independence 
of character, willingness to abandon precedent 
when it suited her. Very fond of primroses, and 
finding none in the royal gardens, she sent word 
to have some planted. The gardeners, the Queen 
said, made many objections, and finding shortly 
afterward that her wishes had not yet been car- 
ried out she despatched a royal messenger to 
inquire the reason. "I suppose Queen Anne had 
none," she said to the Empress, "so they did not 
think it proper for me to have any; but I sent 
them word promptly that Queen Victoria would 
have some — and she did/^ 

Tuesday, March 9. Today at lunch the Em- 
press showed us how the Queen eats her orange, 
and advised us to imitate her, — cutting a small 
hole in the top, removing the central pith with 
a very sharp knife, and then scooping out the 
juicy pulp with a spoon, leaving the rind intact. 
Since the Queen eats it thus, none of her 
ladies would dare depart from the conventional 
way, unless encouraged to do so by Her Maj- 
esty — who, to their regret, does not so encourage 
them. 

The girls and Mme. Le Breton went to a con- 
cert. I drove into Aldershot to make some in- 

93 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

quiry for the Empress from Father Bellord,^ one 
of the army chaplains. A long, cold drive 
through the North and South camps and past 
all the barracks. After a warming cup of after- 
noon tea with the Empress, she took me into the 
cabinet de travail, where I had a long, interesting 
talk with her. 

She told me another story apropos of Windsor, 
about an impromptu visit the Empress of Aus- 
tria paid there some years ago. Empress Eliza- 
beth arrived one Sunday unannounced, while all 
the Queen's household was attending service. 
Every one was in a state of excitement as to what 
should be done under these unusual circum- 
stances. Divine service could not be interrupted, 
neither could the Austrian Empress be ignored. 
She had appeared suddenly on foot with a suite 
of fifteen persons, and remained walking about 
the grounds until the important members of the 
distracted court had collected their wits. After 
some cogitation the Queen left the chapel, went 
down alone to receive her inconsiderate and un- 
ceremonious guest and persuaded her to enter the 
castle. The Empress of Austria's large New- 
foundland dog followed into the drawing-room 
and jumped up on the sofa beside the Queen, to 
the secret delight of the unconventional Austrian 
monarch and the intense discomfiture of the punc- 

1 Later on Bishop of Gibraltar, who has since died. 

94 



DAILY EVENTS 

tilious Queen of England. The animal, so Em- 
press Eugenie said, snarled every time its mis- 
tress was spoken to, but Queen Victoria, who it 
appears dislikes large dogs in the house, had to 
submit to the discomfiture out of politeness. 
This story was told her by the Queen herself, and 
the Empress added: " This was the Empress of 
Austria's way of paying off old scores." What 
she meant exactly by this last remark I do not 
know. 

A la suite of this, the Empress described to me 
an interesting ceremony she had witnessed years 
ago, and which took place either at the corona- 
tion, or as a New Year celebration, in which 
the Emperor of Austria, who is also King of 
Hungary, took the leading part. The Emperor, 
sword in hand, galloped up a small hill or mound, 
saluted the four quarters of the globe, and then 
rode down again. The cloak worn by him for 
this quaint ceremony had been in use many hun- 
dreds of years, and only Empresses are allowed 
to mend it; my Empress says it was shockingly 
cobbled and a disgrace to some of the imperial 
darners of bygone days. 

Tuesday, March 16. Anniversary of Prince 
Imperial's birthday. He would have been thirty 
years old had he lived. Very sad day for the 
Empress. Loving hands have put quantities of 

95 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

violets, where generally one modest little bunch 
is to be seen, in front of his picture on the easel 
in the gallery. Passing by it, while going to and 
fro on our evening walk, the Empress told us 
about an illness of his at the same age as the 
Dauphin of France, and drew a kind of parallel 
between her son and the little Fils de France. 
"Mon pauvre petit garc^on," she said, "etait 
malade (tombe d 'un trapese et blesse a la 
hanche) au meme age, que le petit Louis XVII 
etait aussi gravement malade. Marie Antoinette 
a fait tant de neuvaines et a tant fait prier, que 
lui a gueri, — mais pour son malheur; moi, je 
n 'ai jamais une seule fois demande a Dieu avec 
les autres que mon Louis guerisse! Je ne pou- 
vais pas! — Une mere ne sait souvent pas ce 
qu 'elle demande au Ciel. Mon fils a gueri, lui 
aussi, — cependant il aurait mieux valu pour lui 
qu'il mourut enfant, au lieu de guerir pour — " ^ 
Here she burst out into smothered sobs, and did 
not finish what we all knew she meant to say, 

1 " My poor little boy was ill — he had fallen from a trapezium 
and had injured his hip, — at about the same age that the little 
Louis XVII had also had a dangerous illness. Marie Antoinette 
made so many novenas and had so many prayers offered up that 
he, Louis XVII, was cured — but for his own misfortune. I 
never once, with all the rest of the people, asked God to cure my 
Louis — I could not ! A mother often does not know what she is 
asking of Heaven. My son recovered also — it would have been 
better for him, however, if he had died in childhood rather than 
recover to — " 

96 



DAILY EVENTS 

— "live to meet a savage death among Zulus!" 
She told us also of her growing feeling, since her 
son's death, of devotion to the Guardian Angels, 
of her gratitude toward them, and the comfort it 
is to her, to feel that they at least were with her 
boy when he was abandoned and dying. And, 
later on, talking of the Palace of the Tuileries, 
she said: "Je suis en somme contente que les 
Tuileries aient brule,^ car tous les derniers en- 
fants nes dans ce Palais ont ete maUieureux — 
le pauvre petit Louis XVII; Napoleon II (Roi 
de Rome) ; — mon fils." ^ She was not afraid of 
death, she explained, and she looked forward 
with joy to being reunited to those who had gone 
before her. "C 'est la foi, qui donne le courage 
de mourir [It is faith which gives us the courage 
to die]." She was glad to feel her son had been 
a thoroughly good young man, that she had no 
doubt whatever of his being in heaven. "Si je 
pensais que mon fils ne fut pas au Ciel, — je ne 
desirerais pas y aller," — and noticing me draw in 

1 In one of the vitrines the Empress showed me one day a small 
delicate porcelain statuette of the Prince Imperial, which used to 
be in her bedroom at the Tuileries, and which, in a wonderful 
way, had escaped the flames and the falling debris of the burning 
palace. Loving hands had found it in some nook protected by a 
fallen column, and restored it to its former owner. 

2 "I am after all glad that the Tuileries was burned down — 
for all the later children born in that palace were unfortunate, 
the poor little Louis XVII, Napoleon II (Roi de Rome) — and 
my own son ! " 

97 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

my breath in quiet horror, she added : "C 'est 
peut-etre terrible a dire, mais franchement ce ne 
serait alors pas le Ciel pour moi." ^ ' 

Wednesday, March 17. His Excellency the 
Marques de Casa la Iglesia, Spanish ex-am- 
bassador, lunched here. The girls were de- 
lighted to hear and speak to a Spaniard again. 

In the evening apropos of various health re- 
sorts the Empress and Mme. Le Breton told 
us their experiences in Holland with Dr. Metz- 
ger, to whom they had gone for treatment for 
rheumatism. World-renowned for his wonder- 
ful cures by massage, with more patients than 
he could personally attend to, and an autocrat 
by nature, he would not waste time going to the 
bedside of any sick person. High or low, there- 
fore, journeyed thither to him, and at his hospital 
in Amsterdam he gathered a motley crowd — em- 
perors, kings, breadwinners, beggars, were all 
treated alike by the doctor, who, though kind- 
heartedness itself, handled them very roughly. 

The Empress told us how the patients had 
to wait their turn in order of arrival, in a series 
of little cubicles open at the top, and how nervous 
it made her as she heard Metzger coming along 
from one compartment to another and getting 

1 " If I thought my son were not in Heaven, I should not wish 
to go there. — It is perhaps terrible to say so, but frankly, it 
would not then be Heaven for me." 

98 



DAILY EVENTS 

nearer and nearer, his progress along the corri- 
dor being marked by the screams of the sufferers 
under his skilful but rough hand. At last, after 
a few days, she could stand it no longer and got 
worked up to such a pitch of nervous tension 
that she feared she would have to give up the 
treatment altogether. After several interviews, 
however, between the famous masseur, M. Pietri 
and Mme. Le Breton, and on account of excep- 
tional circumstances, Metzger at last consented 
to a slight change, a wonderful and unusual con- 
cession. For the remainder of the course Her 
Imperial Majesty was allowed to take preced- 
ence over the other patients ; she was always put 
into the first cubicle and was thus spared the 
misery of daily suspense. 

Metzger charged one uniform fee and that 
a very modest one, to rich and poor alike. But 
he always welcomed, from those who could afford 
it, donations for his hospital and needy cases, 
and most of his patients in their gratitude gave 
generously. 

Thursday, March 18. Sir Evelyn and Lady 
Wood, Major Parsons and the Marquise de la 
Valette, lunched here.^ Dr. Scott came after 

1 H. I. M. was agitated lest Sir Evelyn and Lord Wolsey 
should by some coincidence arrive on the same day; they were 
both expected about this time. They are rivals, if not open ene- 
mies, she says, and the meeting at her table would be awkward 
for all. 

99 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

lunch and accompanied us to the gymnasium. 
The Prince of Wales with his eldest son, Prince 
Albert Victor, called on the Empress in the after- 
noon. 

During our evening walk, mentioning the 
Prince of Wales's visit of the afternoon. Her Im- 
perial Majesty spoke disapprovingly of his great 
severity toward his son, who is stationed at Alder- 
shot. The other young officers of his regiment 
are allowed to go off shooting and have occa- 
sional days off, but nothing of the kind for Prince 
Albert. Never a single day away from his regi- 
ment, except to be made use of in opening some 
public institution, or doing some of those things 
the royal family get such a dose of. His mother 
fears that so much severity may make her boy 
hate the army, and have a bad influence on him. 

Monday, March 22. General Lord and Lady 
Wolsey, Mme de Arcos, JNIrs. Vaughan and her 
niece lunched here. We showed the latter all 
over the house and grounds. The Due de Bas- 
sano left here at 10:19 for London en route to 
Paris, for a two months' leave of absence. 

Wednesday, March 24. The Empress went 
up to London. She told us on her return about 
her crossing Hyde Park just as the Queen's pro- 
cession happened to pass. A policeman, recog- 
nizing her, got a good place for her carriage to 
stand, saying, "I will arrange it all for your 

100 



DAILY EVENTS 

'Ighness." He returned shortly after — having 
given the necessary orders — adding with much 
genuine unction, "I am so glad to see you, Ma- 
dame." 

Speaking of this little incident, brought out 
several reminiscences in om* evening conversation. 
It would seem that it was often those to whose 
gratitude she had the most claim, who proved to 
be totally lacking in nice feeling; while on the 
contrary she often met with gratitude from un- 
expected quarters, as the following examples 
show. 

In passing through Paris some years ago, the 
Empress told us she went over much of the same 
route she had taken during the eventful flight 
from the capital in 1870. Many of the officials 
recognized her; they looked carefully round first 
to see if they were observed, and when reassured, 
saluted her openly as of old. A woman at the 
railway station pressed up close to her one day, 
and in a touching way rapidly kissed the hem 
of her dress ; then disappeared in the crowd with- 
out a word. 

Another time in visiting incognita the chateau 
at Fontainebleau, she went about with the crowd, 
and was shown over the different apartments by 
the gardien. At last they came to some room 
very intimately connected with her son (probably 
his nursery), and turning away sadly, she gave 

101 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

a last wistful look back before having to leave it. 
The gardien let the other people ahead drift 
away, and gently pushing her back into the room 
closed the door, whispering to her: "Madame, 
je reviendrai tout a I'heure [Madame, I will re- 
turn in a moment]." He had recognized the 
widowed mother and delicately wanted to procure 
her a few undisturbed moments with her memo- 
ries. 

A man at the Galerie du Louvre came up to 
the Princess Mary of Cambridge one day, and 
said to her: "Etes-vous anglaise?" — "Oui." 
— "Eh bien, vous devez alors connaitre notre Im- 
peratrice. Dites lui que . . . [naming himself] 
se souvient d'elle." ^ 

In connection with these anecdotes it might 
not be inappropriate to tell a somewhat similar 
experience of my own, when living in Paris at 
the end of 1886. It showed me once more how 
the memory of the Empress, and even more, that 
of the Emperor, lingers still undyingly in the 
minds of many of the French. Walking down 
the Champs Elysees one day with M. and J. de 
S., we stopped a few moments in front of a 
little toy-stall to buy some trifle. The choice 

1 " Are you English?" — "Yes." — "Well, then you must know 
our Empress! Tell her that . . . thinks of her still." 

102 



DAILY EVENTS 

made, I handed J. a one-franc piece, which he 
tendered to the very sunburnt and wrinkled 
marchande. She scrutinized the coin closely, 
turned it over several times in her hands, and 
just as I thought bj^ her behaviour she might 
be about to return it to me as bad currency, she 
put it to her lips and began kissing it vigorously, 
saying, "Ah, mon cher Empereur! ma chere Im- 
peratrice! — Ah, qu'ils etaient bons — ah, helas! 
comme tout a change maintenant !" ^ The 
woman then rambled on volubly, making a great 
many comparisons between the Empire and the 
Republic; told us how the Emperor had often 
in the past stopped at her little stall to buy some 
toy for the Prince Imperial, and had alw'ays 
given her a gold piece in exchange for her wares. 
"Ah, — lui — il nous aimait bien, nous autres 
pauvres [Ah, he — he loved us well, we poor 
things]," she said, and much else in the sa-me 
strain. 

Having sufficiently drawn out her sentiments 
by listening interestedly to her, and recognizing 
her evident devotion, I could not resist the pleas- 
ure of telling her what I felt would please and 

1 " Ah, my dear Emperor ! my dear Empress ! — Ah, how good 
they were ! — Ah, alas ! how all has changed now." 

103 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

agreeably surprise such an enthusiast, namely, 
that I, who casually stood before her, knew her 
Empress intimately, and that I had only a few 
weeks previously left the hospitable roof of Farn- 
borough Hill. At this my marchande could not 
contain her astonishment and excitement, began 
kissing my hands, and to my utter surprise and 
discomfiture threw herself upon my neck and 
wept with joy, regardless of all the passers-by. 
After that her stall was never passed by us with- 
out a little friendly chat. I gave her a few vio- 
lets from the Prince's and Emperor's tombs, 
which made her supremely happy and proud, 
and we were always sure of a warm welcome from 
the faithful and genuine old creature. The next 
visit I paid to Farnborough, I told this little 
story to the Empress, who seemed much touched 
by it. 

Saturday, March 27. H. got here at 9:10 
A. M. I went to meet her in the landau, which 
had just returned from fetching Mme. de Saulcy, 
who arrived on a visit by an earlier train. 

Sunday, March 28. Mme. de Saulcy returned 
to Paris after a stay of two days only. She is 
an old friend of the Empress's, another of the 

104 



DAILY EVENTS 

coterie of devoted women — femme si distinguee 
du spiritnel inemhre de VInstitut. She used to 
be a good deal at the Tuileries during the Em- 
pire. 

From a letter : 

Farnborough Hill. 
April 2, 1886. 

In spite of unpropitious weather, M. De- 
tailleur, the Paris architect who is building the 
beautiful little Memorial Church, crossed the 
English Channel and managed to arrive here. 
All day, naturally, the conversation turned on 
plans for the adjoining monaster}^, which is to 
be commenced at once, and having a Benedic- 
tine brother, I was constantly appealed to by 
the Empress as to the necessities for a monastery ! 
Next week Princess Beatrice and some other 
princesses are expected over from Windsor 
to see the Empress. If they come to luncheon 
we shall, of course, see them; if only for a call, 
perhaps we may not. However, time will reveal, 
and when I know more about the proposed visit, 
I will write you word. 

Speaking of visits from royalty in general, the 
Empress said this evening that they are now too 
ceremonious for her to enjoy. She hates her 
daily routine being interfered with, and a royal 
visit involves so much fuss. The princesses are 

105 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

all extremely amiable and nice, but in her pres- 
ent state of nerves she would rather they stayed 
at home, excepting always, of course. Princess 
Beatrice, for "I am so fond of her," she said. 
Ordinary visitors, who come quietly and bring 
new ideas, are always welcome, and tlie Empress 
is as interested as ever in any new scientific theory 
or curious invention. 

From a letter: 

Farnborough Hill, 
April 6, 1886. 

My letters lately have been only hasty scribbles 
with little news in them, but this one will I hope 
be more interesting, as I have to tell you about 
the royal visit which took place yesterday. On 
Saturday we heard definitely that Princess Bea- 
trice was coming. Sunday, telegrams kept ar- 
riving all day, first saying that the royal party 
would come by carriage from Windsor, — then by 
train, — and then again later the hour as well as 
the route were altered. After a good many 
changes of plan and much fuss in the house, — 
servants rushing about, putting the awnings up 
and the carpets down at the entrance, — Princess 
Beatrice with Prince Henry of Battenberg and 
his sister, the pretty Countess of Erbach, arrived 
by special saloon train, getting here about one 
o'clock. The first greetings over, the Empress 

106 



DAILY EVENTS 

went out with her guests on foot, taking them 
up to see the new Memorial Church, and return- 
ing about 2 p. M. for luncheon. We, poor 
things, who had breakfasted very lightly at 8 
A. M., were dying with hunger, and while wait- 
ing for the royal visitors to take off their things, 
wickedly wished them back at Windsor, or even 
at Jericho. As they passed up the gallery, on 
their way to the dining-room, they made a slight 
pause, and the Empress presented each of us 
separately to the Princess, her husband and sis- 
ter. We kissed Princess Beatrice's hand, and 
courtesied to her companions who were both very 
nice. The Countess is extremely distingue e, 
amiable and merry, and so is Prince Plenry. 
I was sitting next but one to him at lunch, and 
he chatted away and laughed a good deal with 
JNI. and myself. Princess Beatrice was very 
quiet indeed, and seems dull and out of spirits, 
"suppressed," the Empress says, from the con- 
stant restraint of the Queen's presence. She was 
very simply dressed, shabbily I might even say, 
as her mauve woolen tailor-made dress was faded 
and had lost its first bloom of youth. 

According to the Empress, Prince Henry 
keeps his wife (so well inured herself to all court 
etiquette) always on thorns, for he is unconven- 
tional and outspoken, and not in the very least 
awed by the Queen, as her own children appear 

107 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

to be on the surface. At the risk of offending his 
royal mother-in-law he gives his opinion frankly, 
whenever he finds an opportunity, and P.rincess 
Beatrice never knows what he may say or do next. 
During luncheon two telegrams came to Princess 
Beatrice from "Mamma" at Windsor — giving 
the latest account of the Duchess of Connaught's 
condition. The Duke, it appears, is in a great 
state of anxiety, as his wife is seriously ill. Her 
weakness is something appalling. Even lifting 
her head in bed makes her go off in a swoon, 
wliich lasts for hours, and her anxiety to get well 
so as to be able to start with her soldier-husband 
for India in June only throws her back. 

The royal party left at 4:30, after having 
been shown the house and its treasures by the 
Empress herself. Again, before parting, we 
kissed Princess Beatrice's hand, which seemed to 
embarrass her, but as we had previously received 
our instructions the Princess had to fall in with 
the program as well as we. This time we shook 
hands with the others. A short drive took them 
to Famborough Station, where a special train 
was waiting to convey them to Ascot, whence they 
were to go by carriage to Windsor. 

Prince Henry was most amusing at lunch. 
Talking about his idea of London, he told us how 
deadly tired he was and how he hated going about 
continually opening this, that and the other insti- 

108 



DAILY EVENTS 

tution, and presenting prizes day after day. He 
said that last week, driving in a barouche to go 
to WhitechajDel, one of the horses sh'pped and 
fell, and during quite a long delay, while the men 
were getting the horse on to its legs again, there 
he was, surrounded by a highly aristocratic East 
End crowd! What made it most awkward was 
that some of the people looked very black at him 
indeed, and some few made faces, shook their 
fists and put out their tongues at him. He 
added, "It seemed hardly possible in decency to 
bow to them and take off my hat, in response 
to a tongue half a yard long," and still it had to 
be done. The Empress, in conversation about 
bowing to crowds and different incidents con- 
nected with this sort of salutation, urged its im- 
portance on the young people, ending with some- 
thing like, "Enfants, c'est comme cela qu'on 
gagne les coeurs [Children, that is the way to 
win their hearts]." To which Prince Henry re- 
sponded, smiling and thanking his hostess, and 
then addressing his wife : "Entends tu Beatrice ? 
— Je te dis tou jours que ne salues pas assez 
[Do you hear, Beatrice? — I am always telHng 
you, you do not bow enough] !" 

From my diary: 

After dinner and during our evening walk 
with the Empress, talking over our guests, she 

109 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

began speaking about gatherings of people she 
had seen and been in, and dilated specially on 
the great mutability of a French crowd. She 
told me about a certain visit to Lyons, August, 
1860, and the procession to the cathedral. The 
authorities begged H. I. M. not to go, as in the 
unsettled state of the town they had fears for 
her safety, but she scorned to change her plan. 
It proved a terrible drive, the horses walking all 
the way uphill in the midst of the menacing and 
gesticulating crowds. The Empress was alone 
in her open carriage with the little Prince Im- 
perial, both smiling and bowing all the time, till 
her own charm and his baby friendliness finally 
conquered the sullen populace, and so completely, 
that before arriving at the cathedral it had gradu- 
ally veered around and became sufficiently enthu- 
siastic to take the horses out of the carriage, and 
to drag it proudly and exultingly themselves. 
In the evening the crowds were cheering so vo- 
ciferously that they obliged her to leave the offi- 
cial dinner table and show herself on a balcony 
before they would be pacified. 

A ball was given that night at the Hotel de 
Ville, the courtyard of which was covered in 
with huge blocks of ice, and flowers in the center, 
as decorations. The heat was so intense that 
even one of the splendid, six foot Cent-gardes sol- 
diers in his gorgeous uniform fainted, and a gen- 

110 



DAILY EVENTS 

tleman in full dress got into the fountain, hoping 
to revive himself. When the tired Empress at 
last was able to go to bed, she could not sleep 
for the noisy demonstration still keeping up out- 
side. So she got up, took a lighted candle and 
appearing in flowing robes on the balcony, bowed 
to the assembled people, — and then blew out the 
candle. Their fancy was tickled at her dramatic 
manner of bidding them good night, and after one 
more rousing cheer, they took the hint and retired 
quietly to their homes. 

By going out on the balcony, overheated, in 
response to the clamor of the people, the Empress 
told us she caught a fearful cold. Prince Na- 
poleon suggested a remedy, — snuffing up water 
and opium. It was most efficacious, but a yellow 
nose all the rest of the journey was the unex- 
pected result. 

From a letter : 

Farnborough Hill. 

On Wednesday the seventh, I had a two hours' 
drive in the victoria alone with the Empress. 
She was so delightful, chatting the whole time 
about all sorts of interesting things. She in- 
quired very particularly about you. 

She gave me an account of how she eluded 
Bismarck's vigilance, and paid a visit to the Em- 
peror in the castle at Wilhelmshohe just after 

111 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

the war; she was half-way back to England be- 
fore he got wind of the proceeding. Having 
first telegraphed to ask the Chancellor's per- 
mission to visit her husband, and being answered 
that if she did, she might be liable to arrest as a 
prisoner of war — she determined nevertheless to 
go at all hazards. She drove in greatest secrecy 
with her maid and the Comte Clary from 
Chislehurst to London; there she dismissed car- 
riage and attendant and went into the waiting- 
room alone, while Comte Clary bought the 
tickets. Reaching Cologne that night, they 
found they had missed the connecting train and 
had to remain in the waiting-room until the next 
morning. Finally they arrived at Wilhelmshohe 
and presented themselves before the governor, 
who, misled by her matter-of-fact boldness, never 
doubted but that the Empress and her escort had 
permission to enter the fortress. He received the 
travelers very courteously, had rooms prepared 
for them, and the Empress was able to see her 
husband undisturbed for several hours, and to 
talk over all their affairs together with his faith- 
ful friends, Dr. Conneau, M. Pietri and others, 
who were sharing his captivity with him. Late 
in the afternoon she retired to her room soi-disant 
to rest, sending word to the governor that she 
would like a pass to leave the castle a little later 
on, to go into the town and buy a few necessaries 

112 



DAILY EVENTS 

before dinner. The polite and unsuspecting gov- 
ernor granted her request at once and she lost no 
time, but started off immediate^ with Comte 
Clary, having already quietly taken leave of her 
husband. The two made straight for the station. 
There they inquired eagerly, when the very first 
train was to depart and where, and were told — to 
Hanover, which seemed a long way around, con- 
sidering London was their destination, but there 
was no help for it. They were hungry, not hav- 
ing had their dinner, but they did not dare delay 
or risk recognition by trying to buy food, or 
necessaries, though they had not so much as a 
hand bag or a traveling rug between them. The 
night set in bitterly cold. Regular traffic was 
suspended at the wayside stations, where they 
stopped often, and they had to walk up and down 
to keep warm, stepping as they did so over Ger- 
man soldiers, who were sleeping on the platforms 
while waiting for their trains.^ 

In the railway caiTiage, she and the Count had 
much difficulty in hiding their identity from in- 
quisitive and excited travelers, who insisted upon 
trying to draw them into conversation about the 
events of the day, fiercely criticizing the policy of 
the French Empire. Afraid to show their own 
knowledge of affairs, they neither dared to keep 

1 They were being disbanded after the war. 

113 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

too much aloof, for fear of exciting suspicion. 
One man would not be silenced ; he recommended 
hotels to the mysterious couple, and tried in every 
way to engage them in conversation, to put them 
off their guard, and to discover their names. 

Several times they were taken for General and 
Mme. MacMahon, and at The Hague were 
placed in a most awkward dilemma about rooms. 
The hotel-keeper, taking them for husband and 
wife, which they did not dare deny even had they 
been able to make themselves understood in 
Dutch, and the hotel being overcrowded, insisted 
upon giving them one room together. At the last 
gasp they barely got out of the difficulty by 
Comte Clary's explanation, in halting language 
eked out by many gesticulations, that they were 
brother and sister. 

They walked about the streets for some time 
next morning. The Empress was very anxious 
to have speech with her great friend, Queen 
Sophie of Holland,^ but the husband, Wilhelm 
III, was such an irascible man that H. I. M. 
feared to get the Queen into trouble by an open 
visit, and so the travelers began casting about for 
some way of making their presence privately 
known to the Queen. 

1 First wife of Wilhelm III, formerly Princess of Wurtemberg, 
and first cousin to Plon-Plon and Princesse Mathilde through 
Catherine of Wurtemberg, wife of King Jerome (brother of Na- 
poleon I). 

114 



DAILY EVENTS 

Comte Clary no less than his companion looked 
so travel-stained and shabby that he was refused 
admittance to the castle, when he inquired for 
one of the ladies-in-waiting, known to him and 
of whom he meant to ask aid in his scheme. They 
were dejectedly turning away wondering what 
they had better do, when luckily the 'Queen's 
carriage drove past and although she had not the 
shghtest knowledge of the Empress's visit to The 
Hague, she had with one swift glance recognized 
her stately form. She drove on, however, seem- 
ingly oblivious of everything. But she had seen 
her, and on arriving home made it known that 
strangers were to be expected, for when the 
shabby couple presented themselves a second time 
at the castle, they were admitted immediately, al- 
though the halberdier evidently did not like their 
looks. They were taken up a small back stair- 
case to the private apartments of the Queen, 
where the Empress had a comforting talk with 
her friend. Soon the Empress heard steps ap- 
proaching, and she noticed that the Queen, 
always in deadly fear of her tyrannical husband, 
began to be very uneasy and restless. The Em- 
press said she herself was not in an over-comfort- 
able situation, when King Wilhelm suddenly 
walked in, and intensely surprised both ladies by 
his great and unexpected amiability toward both 
his wife and her visitor. The call passed off most 

115 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

pleasantly, and when it came to an end the King 
himself gave the Empress his arm and conducted 
her ceremoniously down the grand staircase, at 
the bottom of which he gave her the roya*l salute 
— a kiss on both cheeks — in sight of the bewil- 
dered halberdier. 

The Empress told me she never should forget 
that guard's face on seeing the shabby woman 
whom he had so recently and scornfully repulsed, 
kissed by the King, by which token he knew im- 
mediately that she must be a sovereign. His ex- 
pression of dismay was so fear-laden and so 
ludicrous that the Empress burst out laughing 
in spite of all her anxieties. 

Comte Clary and she got back to London 
safely from this trip, and reached Chislehurst 
just eight days after leaving it, having been to 
bed only two nights out of the eight, nearly all 
the time without sufficient food. The Empress 
said she had managed the whole so quickly that 
Bismarck with all his keenness had no time to sus- 
pect, or frustrate her plans. 

Before the end of our drive we drifted into 
talking of second sight and kindred subjects, and 
the Empress told me about Malvina, the old ne- 
gress who had come over from the Island of Mar- 
tinique with Josephine de Beauharnais, wife of 
Napoleon I, and lived afterward with Queen 

116 



DAILY EVENTS 

Hortense at Arenenberg in Switzerland, and who 
was a clairvoyant. In a trance one day during 
Prince Louis Napoleon's absence from home 
( supposedly on a hunting trip ) , M'alvina became 
very much excited and called out suddenly to 
her mistress: "Oh, je vois le Prince, — il se 
trouve dans une ville! Je vois de grandes mai- 
sons! ... II est entoure de soldats! All, mon 
Diieu! on le prend!" ^ This all turned out to be 
true. As soon as there was time for the ill news 
to travel, Hortense heard that her son's supposed 
hunting trip was only a blind in order to get off 
unhindered — a subterfuge to save her anxiety of 
suspense. In reahty he had hastily gathered a 
few faithful friends about him, had attemp.ted 
the coup d'etat of Strassburg which failed so sig- 
nally, and was at that moment a prisoner. 

This was on October 30, 1836. Louis Na- 
poleon was condemned by the French govern- 
ment to exile and banished to the United States. 
After some delay he was taken to Lorient, and 
there embarked on the frigate Andromeda, which 
sailed November 21, 1836. After a long tour 
via Rio de Janeiro by order of the government, 
he was put ashore at Norfolk and was there set 
at liberty March 30, 1837, after which he made 

1 " Oh, I see the Prince — he is in a town ! — I see tall houses ! 
He is surrounded by soldiers ! Ah, God, they have seized him ! " 

117 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

his way up to New York, where he lived some 
time. 

The Empress told me also the most thrilling 
story about the escape of Louis Napoleon later 
on, from the fortress of Ham,^ where he had spent 
several years. Without tremendous audacity, 
coolness, and that feeling of strong belief in "his 
star" that all would end rightly, he could never 
have dreamed of such a madly rash attempt, nor 
have succeeded in getting out safely in spite of 
all the jailers and sentries guarding him.^ 

The following story of a strange coincidence I 
heard at FarnJborough, but not from the Em- 
press's own lips. It touched on the chance which 
gave her one day (November 12, 1836), as a 
3^oung girl, her first glimpse of her future hus- 
band. Taking her dancing lesson with the 
daughter of the Prefet de Police of Paris, M. 
Delessert, the children were allowed to go to the 
window to look out and see, — crossing the court- 
yard of the prefecture, — a prisoner just brought 
in for interrogation. It was Louis Napoleon, 
under arrest after the Strassburg affair. 

1 He had been imprisoned there after a second coup d'dtat, 
which failed like the first. It was called L'affaire de Boulogne, 
August 6, 1840, and brought much ridicule on all concerned. 

118 



DAILY EVENTS 

From a letter : 

Farnborough Hill. 

On Tuesday, I think I told you, we had some 
Parisians to lunch, Count and Countess and 
Mile, de Pourtales. The mother used to be a re- 
no^^Tied beauty sous VEmpire, and is still very 
fascinating, so at least the Empress thinks, but 
we three girls talking it over afterward all agreed 
that the Empress herself was far more charming. 
All visitors who are not royal are generally shown 
over the house by us three, so I am beginning to 
be a regular walking catalogue of the different 
historical curios in the glass cases, the paintings, 
etc. 

M. says her aunt told her today she was going 
up to see Dr. Chepmell next week, so if I accom- 
pany them and the Empress should take the girls 
sight-seeing somewhere, I shall avail myself of 
the chance of paying you a visit. At any rate 
Easter is so near at hand now, that I suppose we 
shall meet soon. Young Prince Napoleon Mu- 
rat * is coming from his Jesuit college at Canter- 
bury, to spend his hoHdays, and I may be needed 
here, but the Empress with her usual kindness 
and thoughtfulness will manage, I am sure, to let 
me spend at least a few days with you in London. 

The other day the Empress lent me a most in- 

1 Louis Napoleon Charles Achille Murat, born 1870, son of 
Prince Achille Murat (grandson of the King of Naples). 

119 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

teresting book to read. It is one the Queen sent 
her lately, on the title page of which Her Majesty 
has written, in her usual clear, bold writing, the 
following words : 

Pour ma chere Soeur, 
I'lmperatrice Eugenie, 

de la part de son amie devouee, 

Victoria, R. I. 

The volume is very prettily bound in blue mo- 
rocco, and contains the account (taken from the 
Queen's diary) of the Emperor and Empress's 
visit to Windsor in April, 1855, and the subse- 
quent return visit of Queen Victoria and Prince 
Albert, — "Vicky and Bertie" as she calls them 
always — with a huge suite to Paris, the following 
year. I cannot tell you how much it has inter- 
ested me, knowing personally so many of the 
people mentioned, besides being acquainted with 
a great many others by name, hearing them so 
constantly referred to here. I don't think much 
of the Queen's style, it is decidedly simple and 
commonplace, but she has said some very pretty 
and true things about the Empress, of whom she 
repeats over and over again that she finds her 
most charming — and with whom, she evidently 
was quite fascinated from the first, in spite of 
preconceived prejudices to which she owns quite 
frankly. 

120 



DAILY EVENTS 

In offering me the Queen's journal to read, 
and speaking of it and the visits themselves, the 
Empress told me incidentally, that things were 
done on a much more lavish scale for England's 
sovereigns in France, than for the Emperor and 
Empress in England. One ball alone given at 
Versailles for Queen Victoria cost 300,000 francs. 

The Empress also told me, at the same time, 
about another fancy ball at the Tuileries, in 
which all the gods of Olympus were represented. 
Francois de Noailles, son of the Due and Duch- 
esse de Mouchy, who was only a very little boy at 
the time,, represented Cupid. In the middle of 
the entertainment the poor child got so tired and 
sleepy that he cried and refused to personate the 
love-god any more, and had to be sent off to bed. 

From a letter : 

Farnborough Hill, 
April 11, 1886. 
Just a few words with some violets, which we 
have been picking in the walled-in garden near 
the greenhouse since tea, which Major and Mrs. 
Scott, and General and Mrs. Byrne took with us. 
We made a bouquet for the Empress, one for 
Mme. Le Breton, a buttonhole for M. Pietri, and 
a large bunch each for ourselves. I am sending 
you mine. 

121 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

After picking the violets, we also took a few 
cuttings from some historic willow trees. These 
trees as small cuttings were brought back with 
great care by the Empress, when on her journey 
to Zululand in 1880, she stopped at St. Helena. 
She cut them with her o^\ti hand from the famous 
willow tree under which Napoleon I used fre- 
quently to sit and meditate — and they have now 
grown into quite large trees. A peach slip 
brought from the Cape at the same time, has also 
reached mature growth, but a peculiarity about 
it is that it insists upon keeping to its orig- 
inal African blooming time (about midwinter 
here ) . 

In seeing the willows and speaking of them, the 
Empress gave her personal reminiscences of St. 
Helena. She told us her ship The German 
touched there for a few days on the way out from 
England to Zululand.^ She described to us her 
reception on the island, and remarked how 
strange it was that she should be the first and 

1 The Prince Imperial's funeral had taken place on July \-2, 
1879, a short time before my arrival at Chislehurst. 1 rememlier 
the impression made upon me one morning after mass, the fol- 
lowing spring in the little Chislehurst church, at seeing suddenly 
a white hand coming out of the darkness and grasping the open 
iron-work door of the Prince's mortuary chapel, where his leaden 
cofSn was resting covered with wreaths. It was the Empress Eu- 
genie. She was inside making a farewell visit to her son's grave, 
and praying there, before embarking for the Cape, where she 
was going to visit the scene of his death, and find out all she 
could about his last moments. 

122 



DAILY EVENTS 

only Bonaparte to visit St. Helena since Na- 
poleon I's captivity there. On reaching the port 
the Empress was met by an old lady ^ who pre- 
sented her with a bunch of violets, telling her that 
as a little girl she had done the same thing for 
Napoleon I when he arrived at The Briars, where 
he stayed as a guest while "Longwood" was being 
made habitable for him by the British govern- 
ment. The old lady gave the Empress many in- 
teresting details about the royal prisoner, whom 
she had seen a great deal of, and remembered 
well. 

The Empress said that portions of the island 
are lovely, but Longwood House and its environs 
dull and uninteresting. The only part in which 
the Emperor was allowed to roam freely was a 
bare arid space like the bed of a crater, which it 
probably had been, and shut in on all sides. In 
front of his dwelling Napoleon, who was passion- 
ately fond of flowers, had planted a field full of 
pink geraniums, which he cultivated himself. 
He was given permission to ride, but finding him- 
self always closely watched and followed, he gave 
up availing himself of the privilege, such as it 
was. Sir Hudson Lowe refused him the use of 

1 Evidently Mrs. Elizabeth Balcombe Abell, for, the account 
she gives in her book, Recollections of Napoleon at St. Helena 
(1844), which I have lately read, corresponds almost exactly with 
every detail the Empress told me that old lady had given her in 
1880. 

123 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

the Plantation House, wishing to occupy it him- 
self. Longwood House, the Empress said, was a 
low wooden building, very much like the officers' 
camp-huts at Aldershot, and wretchedly fur- 
nished. The Government House on the contrary 
was splendid, surrounded by luxuriantly fertile 
land. When Napoleon became seriously ill, the 
French asked that he might be removed to the 
better dwelhng of the two, but this was again re- 
fused. The Empress confided to me several 
times how keenly she felt England's ungenerous 
attitude toward a fallen foe. 

The climate of St. Helena the Empress found 
delightful, and, according to the old lady, storms 
were almost unknown. Never in her recollec- 
tion, so she told the Empress, had there been a 
violent storm, until the day of Napoleon's death. 
Napoleon's favorite walk was by a little stream, 
the water of which he drank and thought it bene- 
fited him. It ran through a grove, the willows 
near which he was buried two days after his death, 
and where his body remained till removed to 
France and entombed on the banks of the Seine, 
— ^that river which, in his own words, he "loved so 
well." When death released Napoleon I from 
his captivity on INIay 5, 1821, Longwood House 
was shut up and dismantled. At the time of the 
Empress's visit, there remained in the death 
chamber only a railing around the place where the 

124 



DAILY EVENTS 

great man's bed had been, and a bust in the center 
with many wreaths surrounding it. 

From a letter: 

Tuesday. 
On Saturday we had a Mr. and Mrs. Russell to 
lunch. He used to write for the Times, and the 
Empress says he was merciless toward herself and 
her husband in 1870. He has a charming little 
wife, an Italian, daughter of the Countess Mal- 
vezzi, who used formerly to be invited to the 
Tuileries and the house parties at Compiegne. 
Mr. Russell is a most intelligent man, and enter- 
tained us mightily the whole of lunch. He it was 
who wrote those interesting descriptive articles 
on Ischia at the time of the disaster there some 
years ago. He had a narrow escape himself, 
leaving the island only a few hours before the oc- 
currence of the earthquake, which swallowed up 
all his friends. 



Wednesday, April 14. Lunch at 11 :30. The 
Empress went to London on business with M. 
Pietri, and we girls took a drive to Aldershot 
where we saw two races; the horse which was 
just winning, stumbled in leaping the last hurdles, 
threw its rider, and fell on him. Dr. Scott, who 
was with us, ran off at once to offer his assistance. 

125 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

Thursday, April 15. Before returning home 
on Wednesday from London, the Empress went 
to Marshall and Snellgrove's and chose some very 
pretty white dinner dresses for the girls, and yes- 
terday after dinner she was telling us about all 
the pretty things she had seen. While I was 
dressing this morning there came a knock at my 
door and in walked Mme. Pelletier, saying Her 
Majesty had sent her to take my measurements, 
that she might also choose me a pretty dinner 
dress at Marshall's, and wanted to know what 
color I 2)referred. The Empress meant to give 
this as a surprise Easter egg, but Mme. Pelletier 
was obliged to tell me beforehand because of the 
needed measurements. 

From a letter : 

Farnborough Hill, 
April 16, 1886. 
The week has gone so quickly, that here is 
Friday evening and I have not written you in 
time; I fear you will be anxious. The dinner 
gong has sounded already and we are all wait- 
ing, but fortunately for me the Empress has been 
busy with JNI. Pietri, who starts for Paris tomor- 
row morning, and she has only this minute gone 
up to dress. I shall just have time to scribble 
this and send it off as it is, without any further 
news though, as H. I. M- positively dresses in 

126 



DAILY EVENTS 

five minutes (we have more than once timed her) 
— helas, here she comes! 

From a letter: 

Farnborough Hill, 
Sunday, May 2, 1886. 

It is now a quarter past four and as yet I have 
not had a minute to write to you, for after church 
this morning we went out into the woods till 
lunch; immediately after which the Empress 
asked me to trace out some plans of houses from 
a book she has for her architect in Paris. I have 
only just this minute finished, and must hurry 
that this may leave tonight. I thought so much 
of you, dear G., during the return journey, and 
wondered yesterday how you were getting on. 
Mr. Wilmot's book about South Africa and the 
Zulu war, which was given me to read in the train 
on starting, is most interesting. I read the chap- 
ters about the Prince Imperial's tragic death and 
the subsequent court-martial of Captain Carey. 

Arrived here safely about six o'clock, and 
found every one glad to see me back. The 
Empress I did not meet till dinner, and then she 
inquired very kindly after you, and wanted to 
know all the London gossip, etc. She said, in 
fun, that it was shameful of me not to bring back 
a large stock of news from the capital to "nous 
autres pauvres campagnards [to us poor country 

127 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

folk]." They are rather dull down here and 
much in need of new faces on the scene, and a 
change of ideas. Visitors will be hailed with de- 
light by all and several are expected soon, I hear. 
In telling how deadly monotonous the country 
could be, the Empress remarked that she thor- 
oughly realized now the truth of the saying, which 
some old aunt of hers used frequently to repeat 
in her childhood, that anybody who lived buried 
deep in the country, away from all communica- 
tion with town and the intellectual life going on 
there, after a time became hete, sale et gourmand. 
They would first stagnate mentally, then become 
careless in their clothes and habits, and finally 
greedy, looking forward to meals as events of un- 
due importance in the monotony of the day. 

Wednesday, May 5. The Empress was born 
sixty years ago today. No reference to the anni- 
versary was made, as birthdays are not in favor 
here. One evening, however, some time ago, the 
Empress in speaking of her chequered career, 
had already told us about her coming into the 
world in the midst of an earthquake, exactly five 
years after Napoleon I had closed his eyes on the 
world she was entering. "La nature meme sem- 
blait vouloir des le commencement rendre ma vie 
orageuse!" was her comment.^ 

1 " Even Nature herself seemed to wish from the beginning to 
conspire in making my life a stormy one." 

128 




CATHULIC (HUUCil AT CHISLEHUKST 




INTERIOK OF CATUoLK ( 111 l;( 11 AT rlUSLKHCKST 



DAILY EVENTS 

From a letter : 

Farnborough Hill, 
May 5, 1886. 

It is after tea time and they are all gone out 
for a drive in the various carriages, but not hav- 
ing had a minute to myself for ever so long and 
wanting to answer your two letters, I have re- 
mained behind, and am now sitting outside en- 
joying the fine weather and the lovely view. We 
simpty live out of doors in a tent. It is one of 
those the Empress took with her, and lived and 
slept in, during her up-country journey from the 
Cape to Zululand in 1880. The wicker chairs 
also, and lounges, are the same she used during 
the months of her stay in South Africa. We are 
most comfortably installed, have a table and all 
our books, and it is for the time being a regular 
sitting room, and a very pleasant one. 

Little Prince Napoleon Murat is still here. 
He is a nice, simple schoolboy, and very bright 
and amusing when alone with us, but rather sub- 
dued with the Empress. He returns to his col- 
lege on Saturday morning. The day before yes- 
terday we had a long drive of two and a half 
hours with him. We formed quite a procession 
of carriages, the Empress and Mme. Le Breton 
in the victoria; M. and A. driving with a groom 
in one dogcart; Prince Napoleon and myself, 
with another groom behind, in a second dogcart, 

129 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

the Prince and I driving alternately and he giv- 
ing me many points. We drove Umgeni, a small 
saddle horse the Empress brought from Zulu- 
land and which she prizes highly. Glad H. saw 
the procession of the Queen at the opening of the 
Colonial Exhibition. I have not had a minute 
to look at a paper, but hear it all went off very 
well, and it appears the Queen was much pleased 
with the reception given her. She wrote herself 
to the Empress this morning to tell her so. 

From a letter : 

Farnborough Hill, 
May 9, 1886. 

Lack of time again, helas ! In the morning it 
was decided that the Empress would go to town 
to see her doctor, taking Mme. Le Breton and M. 
with her. Just as we were leaving our tent for 
a very early luncheon, at 11 ;30, on the Empress's 
account, Mme. Le Breton came to ask me to 
change my dress quickly as I was to go in her 
place, since I was better equipped than she 
for a shopping expedition. At 12:30 we started 
from here, accompanied by Mouron, the footman, 
who always goes up to town. A private carriage 
was waiting for us at Waterloo Station. We 
only returned by the 5:45 train, dividing all that 
time between Dr. Chepmell and some of the lead- 
ing shops, choosing all sorts of pretty things for 

180 



DAILY EVENTS 

the girls. I was pilot, interpreter and bursar of 
the expedition. Hoping to preserve her incog- 
nito, and thereby save herself from extortion, she 
insisted on speaking English to me on these occa- 
sions, till I gently suggested that our usual lan- 
guage would perhaps attract less attention. The 
Empress must have been quite tired out, for even 
we active young people had had all we could 
stand, and were delighted to get home again. 
We had traveled up in the morning with General 
Fielding. 

The girls had asked their uncle to send me some 
Spanish music from Madrid as a little gift for 
the seventh, but no one else knew of my birth- 
day, — they are not a la mode here. Even A.'s 
the other day, though known to all, was paid no 
attention to. 

We take our morning walk now directly after 
breakfast from 8:30 to 9:30, it being too hot at 
noon. Then we go to our tent and work till 
lunch at one o'clock, after which we again retire 
to our open air study-room till a quarter to five 
and then come the "month of May devotions" in 
the chapel. After tea at about a quarter before 
six, the Empress, if well, goes out for a good brisk 
walk, taking any one of us who cares to join her. 
Dressing for dinner follows, which is at eight, 
and the usual evening all together. This is our 
present program, modified to suit the warm 

131 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

weather, so you can follow us through the day if 
you wish. 

On Thursday the five ladies and Prince Murat 
drove to a verj^ pretty winding canal near here, 
called the Basingstoke Canal, where we hired two 
boats of which there are numbers. The Prince 
and M. went in one, A. and myself in another, 
the Empress and Mme. Le Breton walking 
abreast of us along the bank, bewildering us with 
conflicting directions, and the carriages following 
a short distance behind. M. and her companion 
got on famousty, for he is a good oarsman, but A. 
not being able to row, all was left to my exertions, 
and my own very slight knowledge of the art. 
In consequence we soon got behind, so Mouron 
was i3ut into our boat to help, and before the hour 
and a half was over we were far ahead of our 
rivals. It was lovely on the water, — the officers' 
canoes gliding about, the pretty surroundings, 
and the setting sun made a charming picture. 

Tuesday, May 11. M. de Varu, military at- 
tache to the French Embassy, lunched here today. 

Thursday, May 13. M. and A. were away at 
a concert. I remained at home alone with the 
Empress and had a long and interesting tete-a- 
tete with her at tea time. 

She began by talking over the news of the day 
and her fears of a war between England and 

132 



DAILY EVENTS 

France. She gave as her opinion, that war is 
certain if England does not evacuate Egypt ; that 
everything points to a rupture. France with 
over a milhon soldiers does not fear to engage a 
small number of troops, she said, but will not 
quarrel with Germany. 

She seemed very much excited over the French 
newspaper she had been reading and said: ^ 
"Nous touchons a un temps terrible, a un boule- 
versement-complet de la societe. Tout est use — 
il n'y a pas moyen que cela continue a marcher 
comme cela en Europe; il faut un changement 
absolu. Tant qu'on avait de la religion on etait 
resigne et on souffrait en esperant le Ciel, mais 
maintenant le nombre des mecontents s'augmente 
de jour en jour, et bientot ils auront le dessus, 
et si je vis quelques annees encore, je suis sure 
que nous en reviendrons a dig, dig, dig! ^ II faut 
ime revolution complete, et c'est maintenant qu'il 
faudrait un genie pour arranger les choses car si 
la reforme vient d'en haut, ce sera bien, mais si 
elle vient d'en bas (du peuple) , nous verrons une 
epoque terrible, mais elle sera courte et alors 
I'equilibre se retabhra. Pour le moment, il n'y 
a, a mon avis, que I'emigration. Si j'etais libre, 

1 This seemed so interesting to me at the time, that I wrote 
down the words as nearly verbatim as I could remember. 

- Here she made a vigorous gesture as if digging, implying that 
European affairs had reached such a pitch of social tangle, that 
we should have to go back to primitive methods again before 
things could properly readjust themselves. 

133 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

je dirais adieu pour tou jours a cette vieille Eu- 
rope degeneree, pour trouver une nouvelle vie 
dans les pays non-civilises." ^ 

Then we drifted somehow into talking of the 
unpleasant treatment the Empress had met with 
from Belgium and the kindness of some other 
nationalities. Belgimn, she said, was the only 
country where she met with rudeness after her 
troubles. On one journey from Dover to Os- 
tend on board one of the government steamers, 
commanded by retired naval officers, she had en- 
gaged a private cabin — the captain's. On her 
being recognized, the officials refused to let her 
have it, on the pretext that they had no right to 
assign it to her. It remained unoccupied the en- 
tire voyage, and the Empress stayed on deck all 
night without shelter, not choosing to go below to 
the one common saloon. This was, she said, only 
one of many discourtesies offered her by this na- 

1 "We are verging on a terrible time, a complete upsetting of 
society. All is worn out, — it is not possible for things to con- 
tinue going on as they are now in Europe; there must be an 
absolute change. As long as people had faith to count on, 
they were resigned, and they suffered and hoped for Heaven — 
but now the number of malcontents is increasing from day to day 
and soon they will get the upper hand. And if I live a few years 
more I am sure we shall come back to dig — dig — dig! There 
must be a complete revolution — it is now that the advent of a 
genius would be welcome to readjust matters, for if reform come 
from above, it will be all right, but if it come from below (from 
the populace), we shall see a terrible epoch — but it will be a 
short one — and then the world's equilibrium will be reestab- 
lished. If I were free, I should say goodby forever to this old 
degenerate Europe, to find a new life in non-civilized countries." 

134 



DAILY EVENTS 

tion. Leopold II was the only sovereign who 
did not go into mourning with his court at the 
Emperor's death. He absolutely refused to do 
so. She spoke very frankly of her personal dis- 
like and mepris of the private character of Leo- 
pold II. He was narrow and mercenary. 
She knew him well, for he spent a whole month 
with his suite at the Elysee Palace in Paris at the 
Emperor's expense. "II est si mielleux s'il veut 
quelque chose de vous; et puis il ose si peu 
moralement," ^ she said finally. 

She told me what she thought might be the 
origin of Leopold's marked hatred of France. 
The then French ambassador and Bismarck met 
somewhere at a dinner; after the meal they sat 
talking in a friendly way about the aflFairs of 
Europe, and jokingly named what each would 
like to "gobble up" for his country. When the 
Iron Chancellor had finished enumerating the 
slices of Europe he coveted, the French ambassa- 
dor gave his list, naming Belgium among others. 
Bismarck feigned not to understand clearly, and 
pushing pen and ink toward the Frencliman, 
asked him to draw a little map, so as to explain 
his meaning better. The ambassador fell into 
the trap and made a httle rough drawing, which 
the crafty Chancellor immediately pocketed. 

1 "He is so fair-spoken if he wants something from you; and 
then, he has so little moral courage." 

135 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

This little sketch Bismarck unscrupulously- 
showed to several people, and the affair ulti- 
mately got to Leopold's ears. He never forgave 
the offense. 

The Empress then went on to tell of the kind- 
ness of other nationalities, from whom she had 
less reason to expect it — of the great deference 
and courtesy shown her everywhere while travel- 
ing through Germany, and the very cordial visit 
paid her there, at great personal inconvenience to 
themselves, by the Crown Prince and Princess. 
She mentioned also the Czar of Russia's friendly 
visit to her at Chislehurst, and his trip afterwards 
to Woolwich to see the Prince Imperial, who was 
pursuing his course of military training there. 

From a letter : 

Farnborough Hill, 
May 13, 1886. 
Well, I have not yet told you that M. was al- 
lowed by her aunt to go to a grand ball given by 
the officers last week, so now that it is known 
she goes out a little, there will be plenty of invita- 
tions, this being the very gayest season here. 
The other day five tickets came from Sir Howard 
Elphinstone for a play at the Royal Engineers' 
Theatre. Mme. Le Breton did not wish to go, 
it being in English ; A. also refused for the same 
reason, but M. was delighted, and when the Em- 

136 



DAILY EVENTS 

press asked me if I would care to go, I accepted 
with pleasure. General and Mrs. Byrne dined 
here at seven, and at eight they, M. and myself 
started for Aldershot. The acting was excep- 
tionally good and the music too (the Engineers' 
band from Chatham). It was a nice little the- 
ater, very well arranged and managed entirely by 
Sir Howard. The combination of the officers' 
uniforms and ladies evening dresses was very 
pretty. We had some of the best seats in the 
front row, and quite near us sat Prince Albert 
Victor of Wales in his hussar uniform. He came 
in with Lady Elphinstone. Tomorrow there is 
to be a review, and I think there will be several 
carriages going from here, so we shall all go. It 
will be a novel and interesting sight. The Em- 
press and I will have the Mois de Marie to our- 
selves today, and tea also, as M. and A. have 
gone out with Mme. Le Breton. Tomorrow she 
will be left quite alone. 

Later : I broke off in the midst of describing 
last night's performance, and never told you how 
much M. and I enjoyed the play. At 11:45 
p. M. we left Aldershot, and at 12:30 were home; 
the whole household was in bed when we were 
safely deposited in the hall. All late comers 
are let in by the night watchman, an officially 
appointed policeman, who perambulates through 
the house all night. The Empress has had the 

137 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

same man ever since she arrived in England, now 
sixteen years ago. When the Imperial house- 
hold moved from Chislehurst here, the Queen 
allowed him to follow. He has now been trans- 
ferred exclusively to the service of the Empress. 

During tea the Empress and I had a long tete- 
a-tete and she told me many interesting things, 
mostly about Spain and Italy. One old Span- 
ish custom she spoke of was most probably a 
very useful one: The Vicaire of the parish 
church always goes the day before a wedding 
and interviews the girl who is going to be mar- 
ried, asking her in private if she is really taking 
the step of her own free will. If she says "y^s" 
it is all right, and the ceremony takes place, but 
if she says "no" he conducts her to a convent till 
the appointed day is past, and the disappointed 
and unprincipled relatives have regained their 
equanimity and good humor. 

Then talking of the present rage for dressing 
children in sailor and Highland costumes, the 
Empress said that at one time the fashionable 
way for boys to dress in Spain was like monks; 
and in her youth during a revolution the fashion 
was changed to Guardlas civiles. 

On Maundy Thursday, in honor of Our Lord's 
washing the feet of the Twelve Apostles, the feet 
of twelve poor men are washed and afterward a 
dinner is given to them in the royal palace. Each 

138 



DAILY EVENTS 

man brings with him a large basket, into which 
he is allowed to put everything that is presented 
to him in the way of food, and even the dishes, 
plates and spoons that go with it. The men do 
not attempt to eat the meal, but being permitted 
to take it away, find it more profitable to carry it 
off and to sell it. The money received will buy 
them many ordinary dinners. It is a custom 
among people of good family, who wish to eat 
a dinner from the royal kitchen, to buy these 
baskets and their contents ; and servants in livery 
may be seen waiting in line outside the palace 
gate for this purpose. It is also the Spanish 
queen's prerogative on that one day of the year 
to pardon a criminal sentenced to death. 

The Empress then went on to speak of Ital- 
ians, and to draw a parallel between their char- 
acteristics and those of the Spaniards. The Ital- 
ians, she feels, are the greatest natural diplomats 
in the world, and are the most pleasant people to 
mix with socially, much more so than the French 
— "mais, je ne leur confierais ni ma fenmie, ni ma 
fille, ni mon argent." ^ The Spaniards even of 
the lower classes (Castilians), on the contrary, 
have the greatest natural sense of honor and loy- 
alty. Business matters of the greatest impor- 
tance are transacted only by word of mouth and 

1 "But I would not confide to their care my wife, my daughter, 
nor my money." 

139 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

a clasp of the hands. This is considered suffi- 
cient guarantee. You can also, she says, reach 
them by politeness and make them do heroic and 
difficult things by simply appealing to their 
honor. As an example, the Empress told me the 
story of some official she knew of as a girl, who 
had charge of a great sum of money in gold. 
His house was surrounded and attacked by a 
revolutionary mob. Completely at their mercy, 
and not being able to defend his trust single- 
handed, he bethought himself of some way to save 
it. He asked speech with the chief of the band. 
Addressing him and his followers politely as 
cahalleros, he handed the keys of his house to the 
ringleader, saying that he "trusted to their honor" 
not to touch or hurt anything. This worked like 
a charm. They went away proudly, never hav- 
ing touched a single thing. 

Education in Spain, the Empress says, is mak- 
ing rapid progress now, but the nation at large 
still remains very ignorant, though they often 
make up for their educational deficiency by an 
astonishingly great amount of natural wit. 
"The Marquesa — , my father's sister, who 
lived to a very advanced age, was most ignorant 
scholastically, — knew nothing, and did not want 
to learn, — but still she was able to fascinate and 
hold the attention of young and old by her witty 
conversation, and had a most interesting salon." 

140 



DAILY EVENTS 

With some malice the Empress also told me 
that there is a very appropriate portrait of her 
aunt by the celebrated painter, Goya. She is de- 
picted holding a closed book. Once on hearing 
Napoleon I mentioned as a great general, she 
showed her utter and astounding ignorance of 
Spanish history and its heroes, with whom even 
the peasants are familiar, by evidently mixing 
him up with el Gran Capitan,^ and saying with 
some astonishment: "But Napoleon must be 
very old!" 

This same Marquesa speaking of her father-in- 
law, who lived on and on to a great and appar- 
ently interminable old age, said, wittily, if not 
very reverently: "Je savais bien qu'il y avait un 
Pere Eternel; mais je ne savais pas qu'il y eut 
un beau-pere eternel! " ^ 

That same evening after our long talk at tea 
time, the Empress resumed the subject of Spain 
and told us about her very earliest recollections. 
One of the first things she remembers is the chol- 
era in Madrid, and the terrible fear everyone had 
of it. She called to mind perfectly the dead cart 
coming around morning and evening to carry 
away its gruesome load. An association of gen- 
tlemen, of whom the Count de Monti jo, her 

1 Gonsalvo de Cordova, 1453-1515. 

2 "I knew there was an Eternal Father — but I did not know 
there was an eternal father-in-law." 

141 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

father, was one, was formed to assist in burying 
the numerous dead. Ignorance made the 
wrought up populace distrust everyone who went 
near a fountain of poisoning it, and the perplexed 
government found it convenient, so as to allay 
their fears, to allow the unprotected monks to be 
suspected and massacred by the enraged mob for 
three days unhindered. From the windows of 
her house Eugenie Monti jo one day saw a monk 
fleeing from an assassin, caught by his hood and 
stabbed. The awful picture of the spouting 
stream of blood haunted her for all the years of 
her childhood ; it recurred in every bad dream and 
even nowadays, she said, the sight of a friar al- 
ways instantaneously brings back to her mind 
that horrible scene. 

She remembered, also, during a revolution, a 
journey en diligence to Barcelona ^ for safety, 
with her sister, mother and little brother Paco, 
protected by torreros; and told us how the Jesuits 
and others had all escaped being killed, through 
the power the ringleader of the mob possessed 
over it. En route the Montijos took refuge in 
a monastery one night, and after their departure 
the next day, they heard that their late hosts, 
the monks, were all murdered. The family next 

1 This flight of the Montijo family from Spain must have been 
that of July 29, 1834. 

142 



DAILY EVENTS 

stopped at a lazaretto. They had a sauf conduit 
to go on further, but this did not apply to the 
torreros or other fugitives who accompanied the 
party, and these were held. A riot ensued among 
the bullfight-loving people there, to have at least 
the favorite torreros released, but these favorites 
gallantly said it was no use releasing them alone, 
as they would positivelj'' give no bullfights unless 
all of them were set free, so to obtain their fa- 
vorite sport, even in the midst of a riot, all were 
let go and escaped in that way. 

Here is one more anecdote the Empress told 
about herself as a young girl, showing the effect 
of youth and womanhood on the chivalric, roman- 
tic Spanish people. This is how Eugenie swayed 
the feelings of the crowd in favor of Queen Isa- 
bella. It was at a time when the revolutionary 
feeling was again rife and people made menacing 
gestures while the Queen was passing. Eugenie 
Monti jo, driving at the time with her cousins in 
an open carriage, sensed the situation, waved her 
handkerchief with particular emphasis as the 
Queen passed, while the latter continued bowing 
to the scowling crowd. Eugenie, indignant at 
their disrespectful attitude, called out, rather 
peremptorily, to some men near her own carriage: 
"Take off your hats!" They looked up at her 
for a moment astonished, and then said smilingly, 

143 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

"Como podriamos rehusar algo a esa chica [How 
could we refuse anything to this girl] ?" and 
dropped their sullen way as by a charm. The 
Empress added in telling us this, "L'Espagne 
est le pays de tout autre, oij la femme est reine, 
pourvu qu'elle soit jeune et jolie! " ^ 

Monday, May 17. At 4:30 during tea time, a 
telegram came from the Queen of Spain, an- 
nouncing the birth of a son. Later on another 
telegram from Queen Victoria, repeating the 
same news. These are copies of the answers sent 
by me at the Empress's request, one of which 
went to Ex-Queen Isabella, grandmother to the 
new-born infant : 

-'A la Reine Isabelle d'Espagne, 

Hotel de Castille, Paris. 
Je felicite Voire Majeste de la naissance du roi. 
J*espere que cet heureux evenement adoucira la douleur 
Voire Majesie.^ 

Comiesse de Pierrefonds. 

To the Queen, 

W^indsor. 
Thank you kindly for sending the welcome news 
from Spain. It has given me great pleasure. 

Comiesse de Pierrefonds. 

1 "Spain is the country of all others where woman is queen 
— provided she is young and pretty." 

2 I felicitate Your Majesty on the birth of the King. I hope 
that this happy event will soften Your Majesty's grief. 

144 




THE EMPRESS EUCENIE 
From a Sevres miniature 



DAILY EVENTS 

From a letter : 

Farnborough Hill, 
May 18, 1886. 

I suppose the birth of Queen Christina's little 
son is in all the papers today. The poor little 
fatherless king, who succeeds to the throne, was 
born at 12:30, and at 4:30 we knew of the event 
here. 

The arrival of the telegram started the Em- 
press telling us many things about Queen Chris- 
tina. She spoke sympathetically about her 
lonely position as queen, widow and mother; of 
what a responsible task she has before her as 
regent in governing wisely a restless country, 
where an Austrian archduchess would not natur- 
ally be liked; how fine and intelligent a woman 
she is, how well she has brought up her daughters, 
and with what tact she is winning her way gradu- 
ally with the people of her adoption. The 
chivalry of the nation is appealed to by her fine, 
dignified way of meeting the situation and its dif- 
ficulties. 

Then the conversation turned upon the mother- 
in-law, ex-Queen Isabella, who now lives in Paris 
— her former great popularity, and how she has 
not the slightest particle of rancune against any- 
body. "It was left out of her nature. She still 
has tr^s grand air" Her irrepressible uncon- 

145 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

ventionality was shown by her meeting with Don 
Amadeus ^ in a Paris salon. She waved her 
hand and called out to him across the room, "Hola 
compadero, que tal (Hello comrade — how goes 
it) !" 

The following story about Queen Isabella and 
the Infanta Eulalia, was meant to illustrate the 
former's courage and thoughtfulness of her sub- 
jects. She and her daughter were driving, the 
Empress said, during some disturbed period of 
her reign when her popularity was on the wane. 
There were constant menaces from the crowd, 
who even pelted the carriage, but the two ladies 
continued bowing, apparently unconcerned. Is- 
abella might ver}' reasonably just then have been 
thinking of her own safety and her daughter's, 
but standing up and with real anxiety in her 
voice, she called out to the coachman, who had to 
force his way through the gathering crowds: 
"Take care, go slowly, do not crush anyone!" 
In a few minutes this act of courage changed the 
menace into enthusiasm. Some one in the crowd 
called out, "Que valiente es esa! Vive la reina 
[How courageous she is! Long live the 
queen]." Isabella returned home to the palace, 
not in the least frightened nor ruffled by the 
episode. 

1 Amadeus, Duke of Aosta, elected King of Spain in 1870; re- 
signed 1873. Then came Alfonso XII. 

146 



DAILY EVENTS 

The Empress remarked that Isabella had 
much natural nobility of mind and heart; spoke 
of her ignorance and lack of pohtical education, — 
in her absolute naivete she was made to do all 
sorts of harm as the tool of unscrupulous people. 
When dethroned and expelled from Spain,^ she 
arrived at Biarritz, with her son Alfonso. The 
Empress and Prince Imperial went to meet them, 
and the two boys, wholly alive to the situation and 
white as sheets, embraced and cried in each other's 
arms, while Isabella remained perfectly cheerful 
and insouciant, as if no distressing event had 
taken place. 

Isabella's generosity, and independence of pub- 
lic opinion were also touched upon. In 1870, 
when Napoleon III was a prisoner in Wilhelms- 
hohe. Queen Isabella dared to telegraph openly 
to him in his prison: "Tous mes bijoux sont a 
votre disposition si vous en avez besoin [All my 
jewels are at your disposal, if you need them]," 
and she meant it, the Empress added. In spite 
of her utter failure politically as a sovereign, she 
had many fine qualities as a woman, was the 
warmest of friends, and would wiUingly have 
been as good as her word and have sold every 
jewel she possessed to come to the assistance of 

1 Flight to France, September, 1868. Deposition declared Sep- 
tember 29. She abdicated in favor of her son Alfonso, June 25, 
1870. 

147 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

the Emperor. The Duchesse de Montpensier 
(the Infanta) is so different from her mother, 
with a nature so bitter against everybody. The 
Empress told us about the Infanta's rudeness to 
her at a fancy fail* some years ago. 

From a letter: 

Farnborough HiU, 
May 18, 1886. 

Now about Friday last. I have already told 
H. that we enjoyed the field day very much, that 
it was most interesting, and gives one a very 
tolerable idea of what a terrible thing a battle 
must be. Thursday night a letter came from 
General Fielding saying that the Duchess of 
Connaught and the Grand Duchess of Oldenburg 
would drive over from Bagshot Park and would 
start again from Farnborough station at 10 
A. M., that we must follow the royal carriage 
everywhere to the places reserved for us, so that 
we might see to the best advantage. Every one 
was punctual, and the scene a most animated one ; 
the road filled with soldiers of all sorts, infantry, 
cavalry, and artillery with all their heavy guns 
and ammunition carriages. Some of the horses 
were beautiful animals. All along the road there 
was a mounted escort for the Duchess, and when 
we arrived at what is called Long Valley, six 
miles from here, we found the scene a very busy 

148 



DAILY EVENTS 

one indeed — officers dashing past like the wind, 
regiments appearing and disappearing behind the 
hills and into the woods, and the booming of can- 
non in the distance. General Fielding com- 
manded the South Force, and Major General 
Sir Drury Lowe, the attacking force, supposed 
to have marched on Aldershot from London. 
The great feature of the day was the taking of 
the pontoon bridge over the Basingstoke Canal, 
and the firing was very heavy there. From a 
hill overlooking the valley and surrounding coun- 
try, where our carriages were stationed, we saw 
splendidly. While we were standing with all the 
other people, who had alighted from their ve- 
hicles and were chatting in groups, Lady Bm*- 
goj^ne introduced me to Mrs. and Miss St. Quen- 
tin. Sir Howard Elphinstone and Surgeon- 
]\Iajor Scott rode up and spoke to us. The noise 
even in the distance was very great, but nothing 
to what it was later when the supposed enemy 
came to capture our hill, and soldiers were swarm- 
ing up the steep heather covered sides like ants. 
There were hundreds of them and we had to get 
out of the way as best we could, but there was no 
danger, as they used, of course, only blank cart- 
ridges in their rifles. The noise was deafening 
when the artillery pulled their guns to the top of 
our hill and thundered at our make-believe ene- 
mies below, and there was great excitement, as 

149 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

the vibration from the cannon was so great that 
it made every one jump. Some ladies were very 
much startled, especially when a few horses who 
did not understand the fun, began to rear and 
plunge and try to get away. The Empress's 
horses never moved a muscle, but those of the 
Duchess of Connaught, considering everything, 
were not so well behaved. One brougham, which 
had been stupidly placed just behind the artillery 
had its windows smashed in at the first discharge. 
Fortunately, its occupants were on foot at the 
time, as was indeed everyone else, and so no one 
was hurt. 

At one o'clock "cease firing" was sounded, the 
fight was supposed to be over, and the carriages 
proceeded down into the valley to see the troops 
march past. We were in an enclosure quite near 
the royal carriages all the time, and as the union 
jack was planted there, and the spot became a 
center for all the bands, too, it was very ani- 
mated. The saluting of the officers as they 
passed was very pretty. The Duke of Con- 
naught and the Grand Duke of Oldenburg in 
his light blue uniform, with several generals, re- 
mained on horseback throughout. The Duchess 
bowed to us and the Duke rode up and spoke to 
us. We were not home till 2 : 30, and the poor 
Empress and Mme. Le Breton, who had re- 
mained behind, were famished. The former had 

150 



DAILY EVENTS 

thoughtfully sent us word by a mounted groom 
not to hurry home, which was very kind of her, 
but even had we wished to try it, we could not 
have made our way through the dense throng of 
troops. There were in all nearly seventy thou- 
sand soldiers out that day, and with the beauti- 
ful horses of the artillery and the bright uni- 
forms of the regiments, it was an impressive 
sight, which I shall never forget. The royal 
party and staff officers went to lunch with Sir 
Archibald Alison, commander-in-chief. 

Since Saturday we have not seen a soul, and 
as the young French lady, who is to come with 
her aunt, is ill, we shall have no one till about 
the seventh of June. What a terrible tornado 
they have had in Madrid and the neighborhood. 
Several relatives of our girls had a narrow es- 
cape for their lives, and the Empress heard to- 
day that a chateau she owns at Carabanchel, near 
Madrid, is an almost complete ruin. Pleasant 
news! especially as another place of hers, near 
Granada, was swallowed up by an earthquake 
last year, and some of the vineyards have become 
useless on account of the phylloxera, which has 
destroyed the vines. This has caused a serious 
monetary loss — about 4000 pounds out of her in- 
come of 25,000 pounds. The Empress is quite 
depressed, and said the other day, with tears in 
her eyes, in connection with this accumulation of 

151 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

bad news, "Tout ce qui m'appartient parait voue 
a la destruction [All that belongs to me seems 
doomed to destruction]." It certainly does 
seem true. 

From a letter : 

Farnborough Hill, 
May 21, 1886. 

I was delighted to receive your welcome let- 
ter this morning, and to see that my description 
of the field day interested you so much. I did 
not expect to have anything new to tell you about 
today, but yesterday at 5 : 30, after tea, we went 
out for a very long drive, — the Empress, Mme. 
Le Breton, M. and myself in the landau, with A. 
driving in a pony cart behind. We went by 
quite a new route, past Wellington College, and 
just as we thought we were turning toward home, 
the Empress told the coachman to drive in at 
some handsome gates, which were right before 
us, — ^and we found ourselves in some beautiful 
grounds in front of Broadmoor Asylum. We 
asked for the governor, who is personally known 
to the Empress, and she immediately got per- 
mission for us to see the grounds inside the huge 
walls. Presently the governor appeared, seemed 
delighted at the Empress's arrival, and not only 
showed us the grounds, but the whole establish- 
ment, which is admirably kept and managed. 

152 



DAILY EVENTS 

All the inmates have committed murder or have 
at least tried to kill some one; only escaping the 
death penalty because found insane. There are 
140 women and 450 men, and everything is done 
for their comfort and cure, but they are, un- 
known to themselves, closely guarded and well 
watched, in case of alarming symptoms or at- 
tempts to escape. The two head doctors and 
four or five uniformed keepers went with us 
everywhere, though the precaution seemed quite 
unnecessary. The prisoners or patients, for they 
are both, without exception looked wonderfully 
quiet and happy, walking about or reading, 
working and chatting. Some of them are per- 
fectly sane in everything, except for their one 
savage inchnation. 

In one of the private bedrooms, busily paint- 
ing, we found a certain Miss E., who, you may 
remember, some years ago in Brighton poisoned 
a number of children with sweetmeats, which 
she had mahciously tampered with and then 
returned to the shop, pretending they were 
not what she wanted. She exchanged them for 
others, which she also poisoned and returned to 
the shop with disastrous results. Her mania was 
only discovered after her deadly scheme had been 
put in operation several times, and thirty little 
innocent children had died. Miss E. has hand- 
some features, is well dressed, skilfully rouged 

153 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

and with her hair dyed, so that though the doc- 
tor said she was fifty-eight years old, she hardly 
looks thirty. 

My companions passed on to other rooms. I 
was so much interested in looking at JNIiss E.'s 
very artistic sketches, that I did not notice she 
had gently closed the door behind me, till one 
of the doctors, who missed me from the rest of 
the party, came back rather hurriedly and got 
me out with what seemed rather over-zealous 
haste. Once outside in the corridor he explained 
that Miss E.'s killing mania was not over, that 
she had several times lured people into her room, 
closed the door on them and then sprung at their 
throats. I was grateful to the doctor and after 
that kept close to his side notwithstanding the 
innocent looks of the patients. 

Among the men, who were walking about 
freely out of doors, and cultivating their little 
gardens, we saw a madman who tried to shoot 
the Queen two years ago, — and many other no- 
torious persons. 

We did not get home till eight o'clock, and as 
the household knew nothing of our visit to Broad- 
moor, they could not make out why we were so 
exceptionally late in returning from our drive. 

Saturday, May 22. The little King of Spain 
was baptized today, and was christened Alfonso. 

154 



DAILY EVENTS 

Monday, May 24. The Marquise de la 
Valette came to lunch with her niece, Lady Emily 
Fitzmaurice, who is to be married on June sec- 
ond. 

Tuesday, May 25. Great excitement about 
the possible expulsion of all princes from France; 
if all, and not only pretendants to the throne are 
expelled, and their property confiscated, it will 
make the greatest possible difference to the Em- 
press and mean a great monetary loss, as she 
owns a good deal of house property in Paris. 
She also owns a good deal in New York and 
London. 

Wednesday, May 26. Mme. Pelletier started 
for Paris on her usual little visit to her family, 
and also to lay in a stock of small necessaries of 
clothing for the Empress, buying among other 
things, quantities of long, buttonless gloves, 
called gants beiges at the Bon Marche. Eng- 
land's Queen, who one day at Windsor much ad- 
mired the practical comfort of the Empress's 
gloves, has ever since got all hers there also, 
though few know it, bought for her by Mme. Pel- 
letier during this yearly shopping trip for her 
own mistress. 



155 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

From a letter: 

Farnborough Hill, 
May 26, 1886. 

Last Saturday, Major and Mrs. Bigg came to 
lunch, and afterwards all went for a drive, the 
objective point of which was the North Camp, 
Aldershot, to see a polo match between the 11th 
Hussars and a club called the Freebooters. The 
latter won the game, much to tlie disgust of 
Prince Albert Victor, who was present, and saw 
his own regiment beaten. Just as the game was 
over up came the Duke of Connaught's four-in- 
hand, he himself driving, and sitting beside him 
the Duchess of Connaught, with the Grand-Duke 
and Grand-Duchess of Oldenburg behind. 

The polo game was a very pretty sight, the 
players in white, mounted on lovely little ponies 
as swift as the wind. Today his Excellency M. 
D'Antas, Portuguese minister, has been lunching 
here, and has been conversing with the Empress 
in her salon de travail. She is very agitce about 
the law concerning the expulsion of princes, for 
if it goes through it will bear heavily upon her 
too. She will lose, in that event, all her private 
house property in Paris, though she is innocent 
of any cause for uneasiness on the part of the 
French government. We shall probably get a 
telegram this afternoon, saying whether or not 
the bill has passed. 

156 



DAILY EVENTS 

May 28. Mme. de Arcos came to lunch on her 
return from Paris. 

From a letter: 

Farnborough Hill, 
Mav 30, 1886. 
Last Sunday, the twenty-third, a number of 
people came for tea, which we had out of doors 
on the terrace. We were about seventeen in all. 
Among others: General and ]Mrs. Byrne, Miss 
]\Iontague, ]Mr. and Mrs. Freeman, Major and 
Mrs. Scott and their niece Flora Dunolly, and 
Captain Blake, formerly stationed at Dover, who 
knows my cousin very well. After tea we 
showed them the entire house and its treas- 
ures. Yesterday Dr. Tyler, who is governor I 
think of the Agra (India) prison, and in charge 
of the Hindoos at the Colonial Exhibition, came 
to look at the rug which his prisoners had been 
working on for the last two years, and which has 
some little defect they are going to try to 
remedy. He brought one native with him and 
in a few days two others are coming to help. It 
was a most amusing visit. Dr. Tyler asked me 
very politely where the gentleman was he had 
been corresponding with, during M. Pietri's ab- 
sence, and was much surprised to find that 1 was 
"A. Whiteside, Esq., Private Secretary to the 
Empress" as he had addressed the envelope to 

157 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

me. I enjoyed the joke. After luncheon and 
much talk over the rug business, the Empress 
sent us driving with Dr. Tyler and the Hindoo, 
to show them the neighborhood. During the 
drive the doctor told us very many interesting 
things about his political prisoners, several of 
whom are princes. He seems a very able man, 
and wants us very much to go to the Exhibition, 
where he is all-j^owerful, and would much enjoy 
showing us the inner working of everything. 
But just now the Empress is too wrapped up in 
the outcome of the pending law in France to 
think of pleasures for this household. 

The young Indian prince (he is a political 
prisoner) who came yesterday, is of a very high 
caste, and would not for the world have touched 
anything cooked by Christians, nor sit at the 
table with us; neither would he eat what to him 
was orthodox food if a Christian's shadow had 
been cast across it. He however accepted some 
fruit and bread, which the girls and I gave him. 
Dr. Tyler told us that his "boy," as he called 
him, could take these from us as a gift, if given 
with our own hands. 

Sunday, May 30. The officers who receive 
the Empress at the church door on Sunday morn- 
ing and escort her up the church, are nearly al- 
ways invited by the Empress, on entering her 

158 



DAILY EVENTS 

carriage afterwards, to come and have tea with 
us in the afternoon. Captains Galton and Bol- 
ton thus came today, and we showed them after- 
wards about the house until 7: 30. 

From a letter: 

Famborough Hill, 
Wednesday, June 2. 

I am writing you this from the tent, where 
since this morning we have taken up our abode 
afresh. Yesterday early we had a real deluge, 
but the afternoon was lovely, and before dinner 
we three had a good long walk to Sandhurst and 
back, — about eight miles I should think. It was 
great fun, as there were numbers of stiles and 
five-barred gates, and now, as a result of the 
gymnastic lessons at Aldershot, M. and A. are 
much more agile, and they find barriers a pleas- 
ure instead of an annoyance. Since Saturday 
last a good deal has happened that will interest 
you. 

Dr. Tyler came again, bringing with him fom* 
Hindoos to arrange the wonderful rug made by 
the prisoners at Agra. It is from 80 to 100 
feet long, a perfect beauty, whose only defect is 
that it does not lie flat. Dr. Tyler said it would 
be a very easy matter to remedy, though to us 
it seemed almost an impossibility. It was very 
interesting to see the prisoners working over the 

159 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

rug. They never touched it with their hands, but 
did everything with their feet, and after three 
of them had labored over it for an hour or two, 
their little bare feet always scuffling and shuffling 
over it from the center toward the border, it 
came out as absolutely flat as if it had been 
rolled by some heavy machine. The Empress 
was as much pleased with the change in it as she 
had been disappointed when it was first put down. 

Their greeting to the Empress was very pic- 
turesque and touching. She came forward to 
shake hands with them, but they gave her no op- 
portunity of so doing. After removing their 
sandals they bowed low to the ground, touching 
their foreheads to her foot and kissing it, and 
making a great many obeisances. Dr. Tyler told 
them in Bengalese a few words about the Em- 
press, and translated her questions and their an- 
swers. Their costumes were brilliant and pic- 
turesque, and we took some photographs of them. 
This delighted the "boys," and they enjoyed 
roaming about the park after they had finished 
their task. 

I think I told you about the tea the Empress 
gave Saturday afternoon (in honor of the 
Queen's birthday) to 180 poor children from 
Farnborough village and Aldershot Camp. The 
Empress herself went down to the school to greet 
her little guests, and we, with some ladies of 

160 




THE EMPRESS EUGENIE, ADOUT 1860 



DAILY EVENTS 

the parish and their clergyman, served the chil- 
dren who had wonderful appetites. Just be- 
fore our dinner hour, when the little ones had 
played about and enjoyed themselves to the full, 
they were marshaled into the Farnborough 
grounds and marched past the Empress, who 
stood near the house to see them. They cheered 
her lustily, and also the Queen and the royal 
family, and then went home very much pleased, I 
think, that the Queen had attained another year 
and given them the opportunity of enjoying such 
a delightful birthday feast. 

On Sundaj^ evening at about 10 o'clock, M. 
Pietri arrived from Paris, having crossed the 
Channel with old Prince Lucien Bonaparte. M. 
Pietri brought with him a nice elderly gentle- 
man, ]M. Rainbeaux,^ who formerly held a high 
appointment, Vecuyer de VEmpereur, in the Im- 
perial household of Napoleon III. Also a 
young soldier of the French army. Captain 
Bizot, playfellow of the Prince Imperial and son 
of General Bizot, whose widow was made gov- 
erness to the Prince Imperial at his birth; and 
finally M. Urbain Chevreau, son of the last min- 
ister chosen by the Empress. All are very gay 
and merry, and the house is quite animated now. 

On Monday, the eve of the seventh anniver- 

1 Mentioned elsewhere in connection with the attempted assas- 
tiuation of the Czar. 

161 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

sary of the Prince's death, the Empress with 
Mme. Le Breton went privately and quietly to 
Chislehurst to pray at her son's tomb, as she said 
she did not care to show her sorrow to the cu- 
rious, who would probably be there in crowds 
next day. The next morning, the first of June, 
we ladies went to a requiem mass at the camp 
church, where we all received holy communion. 
The day was naturally a sad one, and we were 
very glad when the Duke, M. Pietri and the three 
French gentlemen, who attended the more sol- 
emn requiem at Chislehurst, returned, as then 
there was a little animation, and the Empress was 
obliged to put her own sorrow aside for her 
guests' sake. 

Wednesday in the morning, M. Rainbeaux, 
who is a splendid amateur photographer, took 
advantage of the sunshine to take some views 
of the house and grounds. For one of these 
photographs we were fetched from our tent, for 
a group with the gentlemen of the party. I do 
not know what the result will be, but I suppose 
time will reveal. I hope M. Rainbeaux will give 
me some prints when they are finished, as they 
will be a nice souvenir of Farnborough. 

Young M. Bizot left in the evening for Paris, 
and tomorrow M. Chevreau returns to France, 
too, so the party here soon grows and diminishes 
again. 

162 



DAILY EVENTS 

In the evening, apropos of foreign deputa- 
tions, which had come over in years gone by to 
greet the Emperor and his son on different oc- 
casions, H. I. M. told us the following funny 
anecdotes : 

One was about a Corsican, who forming 
part of a deputation to the Prince Imperial on 
his legal majority (18 years) in 1874, got as far 
as London en route for Chislehurst. It was his 
first journey to England. He went to bed, 
knowing nothing about London black fogs. 
When he had slept himself out he got up, but 
finding it still dark went back to bed. This 
manoeuver he went through several times, always 
with the same result. At last, wondering why 
he felt so wide awake and thinking his watch 
must have played him false, he rang the bell, for 
he heard, people moving about the hotel. He 
made some inquiries, and found it was the late 
afternoon; he had been waiting all these hours 
for daylight, which never came. His astonish- 
ment was great when the situation was explained 
to him. 

Another anecdote was about a member of the 
deputation to congratulate Alfonso XII, the late 
King of Spain, on his twenty-first birthday, when, 
as an exile, he was undergoing his military train- 
ing at Sandhurst College. This Spaniard left 
London at six in the morning and only arrived 

163 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

at his destination at five in the afternoon, his 
cravat e blanche rather the worse for so many- 
hours passed in the underground railway. 
When he got to the necessary underground sta- 
tion, instead of changing as he should have done, 
he continued on quietly going round and round 
the "Circle" underground, wondering whether 
he would ever get to the terminus. Finally, well 
on in the afternoon, he inquired of some one who 
understood French, and was put on the right 
track and really started on his journey. Arriv- 
ing finally at Sandhurst he expressed his astonish- 
ment, saying naively: "Mais on me disait que 
c'etait tons pres de Londres [But they told me 
it was near London]." 

From a letter: 

Farnborough Hill, 
June 6, 1886. 
Our first lesson in tennis, given us by Dr. 
Scott, who spent the day with us. I wish we 
were going to the Exhibition. We and others 
here have given as many delicate hints as 
possible, and Dr. Tyler has written "by desire 
of the Prince of Wales," with whom he dined 
the other evening, to say that all could be ar- 
ranged comfortably for the Empress if she hked 
to visit the Exhibition. Nothing has as yet been 
decided. I suppose we shall get there some day, 

164 




^ Chas. Taylor 

TOMB OF EMPEROR NAPOLEON III AT CHISLEHURST 

Afterward removed to Farnborough Hill 




Hills & Saunder 



TOMB OF THE PRINCE IMPERIAL 

At Farnborough Hill 



DAILY EVENTS 

and at any rate we must not grumble, as we 
have had a good many pleasures lately, and hav- 
ing such pleasant visitors in the house is an agree- 
able change from the daily monotony. 

This afternoon while I am wi'iting, M. Rain- 
beaux is taking photographs again in different 
parts of the grounds, and we are being called and 
grouped constantly. I wish the Empress would 
allow herself to be taken, but that, unfortunately, 
she will not consent to. She has an almost mor- 
bid horror of having her portrait taken now. 

I told you, I think, that on Thursday we all 
went with Sir Howard and Lady Elphinstone 
by special permission, to see the Duke of Con- 
naught's place, Bagshot Park, the family being 
away at the time. We had a delightful drive in 
the foui*-in-hand, and when the opportunity pre- 
sented itself in the conversation, I inquired of Sir 
Howard if he had seen Sir William Anderson 
lately. He said, no, but spoke very highly of 
the dear old man, and said he was much pleased 
to meet a niece of his. After they had shown us 
all over the Duke of Connaught's house, which 
is just an ordinary, large, comfortable dwelling, 
but nothing more, we had tea. Lady Elphin- 
stone had ordered it beforehand, and did the hon- 
ors very charmingly. Then we went out to the 
grounds and through the hothouses, which are 
really very fine. Sir Howard picked each of us 

165 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

a flower as a souvenir of our visit. Mine was a 
piece of stephanotis. 

On Friday nothing happened outside the 
usual routine, but yesterday afternoon we three 
girls went in the landau to Sandhurst Military 
College grounds, to see the cadets' athletic sports. 
Part of the grounds were inclosed for the officers, 
their families and friends, and we met a good 
many people there we knew, and had great fun. 
The most ludicrous thing of the whole affair oc- 
cured just after tea and before the giving of the 
prizes (by Lady Jane Taylor, the governor's 
wife). It was a donkey race. Imagine about 
thirty-five donkeys with their riders dressed in 
the most absurd costumes possible. An organ- 
grinder's monkey; a gigantic youth dressed as a 
baby in long clothes, and urging his donkey on 
with his feeding bottle; Gladstone with a mask 
and his huge collar — he was hissed and knocked 
about unmercifully; an old market woman; an 
elegante with parasol, veil, etc.; several chefs in 
their white caps, one of whom won the race; a 
barrister with wig and gown; the "Private Secre- 
tary" with all his innumerable parcels and bun- 
dles; and a Japanese, who was afterward intro- 
duced to us, and turns out to be young Hussey 
Walsh. It was great fun ; everyone was in fits of 
laughter at the efforts to make the donkeys go 
on, and the tumbles and struggles to mount again 

166 



DAILY EVENTS 

incidental to the petticoats of some of the gal- 
lantly mounted cadets, added not a little to the 
mirth. There are a good many more coming 
events on the horizon, and I am selfish enough to 
hope there will not be too many visitors here when 
they come off, as I should be obliged sometimes 
then to relinquish my place to the strangers. 

Thursday, June 8. After tea, lawn tennis 
with Dr. Scott and M. Rainbeaux. Mme. Le 
Breton told me that the Empress, accompanied 
by her nieces, is soon going to the Exhibition by 
invitation of the Prince of Wales. 

From a letter: 

Farnborough Hill, 
June 11, 1886. 

M. and A. were delighted with their visit to the 
Exhibition, and well they might be, for they saw 
everything under the best auspices. The Em- 
press was received in style by the authorities, and 
a magnificent carpet was laid down for her to 
walk over. They were shown everything, and 
at twelve Princess Louise and the Marquis of 
Ijorne joined the party, and there was a great 
crowd, it appears, to watch the royal and im- 
perial ladies meet and embrace each other. 

The lunch given by the Prince of Wales in 
his own pavilion was magnificent, and during it 

167 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

a band of the Guards serenaded them. Several 
very pretty httle souvenirs were ordered by the 
Prince for the Empress and the girls, and each 
of the ladies had a beautiful white and mauve 
bouquet given to her. The whole thing was roy- 
ally done, and the Empress it appears was de- 
lighted, though she says had she known how for- 
mal the reception was to be she would have re- 
fused to go, as she had never, since the Prince 
Imperial's death, consented to appear in public. 

From a letter: 

Farnborough Hill, 
June 16, 1886. 

Without anything special having occurred, 
what with studies, walks, perpetual scrambhng to 
be ready for meals, going to bed late and getting 
up early, I have not had a minute during the 
last few days to write to you. 

Nearly every day there has been some one for 
lunch ; on Sunday, Sir Algernon and Lady Both- 
wick, and their little boy, who is at school near 
here at Mr. Morton's. On Monday, M. le Comte 
Minszech, a very amusing Austrian and a great 
friend of the Empress. M. Rainbeaux left on 
that day, so we shall have no more photographs 
taken now. Yesterday Mme. de Arcos came to 
lunch, bringing with her Father Antrobus of the 
Oratory. Today we shall, I think, be only our 

168 



DAILY EVENTS 

own home party, but tomorrow the new Spanish 
minister, Leon y Castillo, and an attache from 
the embassy, Senor Osma, are expected, so we 
shall come in contact with plenty of new people. 
This makes a little change for us, as with the ex- 
ception of seeing lunch visitors, our everyday 
routine is at present unbroken. We had so 
hoped to go to Ascot for the races, and several 
friends had offered to take us, but it did not come 
off. The Empress likes arranging surprises her- 
self, and I fear the affair failed by its having 
been too much spoken of beforehand. 

Mme. Lefevre, the French lady who is still 
staying here, is very friendly, bright and pleas- 
ant. We shall be sorry when she goes back to 
Paris. Her husband was prefet (or soiis-prefet) 
under the Empire, and very devoted to the Bona- 
partes. She herself, an intelligent partisan, 
worked very pluckily in the Empress's favor 
against public prejudice. She was absolutely 
fearless, and when everybody turned on the Em- 
press, she showed the metal she was made of. 

From a letter: 

Farnborough Hill, 
June 19, 1886. 
Our everyday routine, which I told you we had 
quite resumed, was broken, and very much 
broken, yesterday. The day previous the Em- 

169 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

press had arranged for us to go to Windsor, as 
she wished Mme. Lefevre, who was leaving this 
morning, to see the castle first. Accordingly, we 
left here, — Mme. Le Breton, Mme. Lefevre, M. 
Pietri and ourselves, at ten, and after a good 
many changes of train, arrived at Windsor. We 
went at once to the castle, where we saw the 
state apartments, and enjoyed them very much. 
I need not tell you anything about them, because 
you are familiar with them, and besides I must 
hurry, so as to get on to the telhng of the end of 
our day. 

After lunching at a restaurant, we drove from 
Windsor through the beautiful park to Virginia 
Water, where we again took the train and were 
back at Farnborough about seven. We were 
glad to find some tea waiting for us, as it was a 
very warm day and we were tired out. We quite 
appreciated the Empress's kind thought. 

Now, before I go on, I must tell you that M. 
had been invited to a ball that night. Yesterday 
morning she heard that General and Mrs. Byrne 
could not take her, which was, of course, a great 
disappointment, but she had philosophically made 
up her mind to give it up. After dinner, just as 
we were going into the drawing-room about nine 
o'clock, the Empress called me aside and said, 
how sorry she was for M.'s disappointment, and 
asked me if I would be willing to take Mrs. 

170 



DAILY EVENTS 

Byrne's place and go with her. Of course I was 
willing, so the Empress announced to M. that I 
would chaperon her and she might go after all, 
ordered the carriage, and sent us off upstairs to 
dress. She herself went up to her own room to 
choose me some pairs of evening gloves from her 
store, besides getting with her own hands some 
flowers, as I had neither proper gloves nor flowers 
on hand at the time. An hour later we two were 
starting off together in the large carriage, M. in 
a pretty white tulle dress and I in my new pink 
(the Empress's Easter gift), which came in most 
appropriately and looked very handsome. The 
ball was at Sandhurst Military College, and given 
by the cadets and officers in charge. 

Lady Jane Taylor, who received, was veiy gra- 
cious and introduced numbers of dancers to M. 
and myself. She danced the whole night and I 
could have done the same, but I thought best to 
refuse during the early part of the evening, not 
knowing exactly what was expected of me as 
M.'s chaperon. Several ladies, however, who 
knew us well and who often come here, pressed 
me very much to dance too, and as I saw M. en- 
joying herself, I accepted the partners found for 
me and started in. By that time it was a mere 
pretense of dancing, for there was such a ter- 
rible crush that one only got trodden on and had 
great difficulty in getting around the room. You 

171 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

will readily believe this when I tell you that there 
were nearly 800 people present in all, — cadets, 
officers, and their friends. The scarlet and High- 
land uniforms with the ladies' dresses, which were 
mostly white, looked very effective indeed. The 
supper and refreshments were served in a mar- 
quee adjoining the ball room. 

At two o'clock we returned home, as we had 
promised to be in early, but I do not suppose the 
ball was over till four o'clock at least. I was not 
in bed until daylight, for having been away all 
day in Windsor, and dressed and redressed sev- 
eral times in much violent haste, I got everything 
topsy-turvey in my room to such a degree, that it 
was a long time before I could disentangle and 
straighten them out sufficiently to get into bed. 

June 22. Mme. Bartohni, an old friend of the 
Empress's, another of the small coterie of fearless 
women who upheld the Empress in French so- 
ciety when vast numbers were against her, ar- 
rived from Paris for a few days' visit. 

From a letter: 

Farnborough Hill, 
June 23, 1886. 
Yesterday, Mr. and Mrs. Ayhff from the Cape 
of Good Hope, and who are traveling in Eng- 
land, lunched here, bringing with them a whole 

172 



DAILY EVENTS 

bazaarful of curiosities from South Africa for 
the Empress. They had been very kind and had 
entertained her on the Cape in 1880. They are 
simple genuine people, and enjoyed their visit 
here very much. They know Mr. Wilmot out 
there, it seems. A Captain Pemberton of the 
Royal Engineers (on leave from Malta, a friend 
of Captain Auld) arrived and lunched here too, 
and we all, at three o'clock, drove over to Alder- 
shot to see some athletic sports given by the offi- 
cers of the regiments quartered there. It was 
much the same as at Sandhurst lately, but on a 
grander scale. 

Dr. Scott remained with us all the afternoon, 
and we only got home at 6:30. M. went after- 
wards to a ball at the Officers' Club with General 
and Mrs. Byrne. 

From a letter: 

Farnborough Hill, 
June 24, 1886. 
I think there is just a possibility of our going 
up to London soon, as on July 2 there is to be 
a grand review at Aldershot, and according to 
present plans the Queen and royal family are to 
be present, and will stay at the Queen's pavilion 
for two or three days. Queen Victoria, the Em- 
press says, is sure one day to invite herself over 
to lunch, and as she hates making new acquaint- 

173 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

ances, and as the girls were despatched off to 
London the last time she came, we might all be 
sent off on this occasion. 

Wednesday, June 30. The Marquise de la 
Valette and Earl Sidney came to lunch. Talk- 
ing of his coming visit, the Empress spoke so 
nicely of the latter and his wife, and said, "J'aime 
tou jours tant a voir les Sidneys ensemble, ils sont 
comme au premier jour de leur mariage — il ne se 
quittent jamais. C'est rafraichissant de voir 
comme ils s'aiment." ^ 

At five Mme. Juliette Conneau and her daugh- 
ter arrived on a visit from Paris. She was the 
widow of Dr. Conneau who had been for many 
years the Emperor's faithful physician, be- 
queathed to him so to speak by his mother, of 
whom he had taken much devoted care in her last 
illness. He was one of the Emperor's most faith- 
ful friends, and had been in prison with him for 
six years in the fortress of Ham, in 1840, and 
helped him escape later on; and again at Wil- 
helmshohe after being made prisoner with his 
Imperial master at the battle of Sedan, 1870. 
The story the Empress told us of Mme. Con- 
neau's marriage was a romantic one. Both fam- 

1 "I do so like to see the Sidneys together — they are exactly 
as in the first days of their married life — they are inseparable. 
It is refreshing to see how they love each other." 

174 



DAILY EVENTS 

ilies lived at that time in Corsica, and the doctor 
was an intimate friend of Juliette's father when 
she was quite a little girl. Conneau often talked 
to her and told her stories, and used sometimes 
jestingly in his daily visits to the house, to call 
her "his little wife." This went on for years, and 
everyone had grown so accustomed to the appel- 
lation that no one attached any meaning to it 
whatever. The doctor, however, who had been 
steadily growing fonder of his little friend, went 
one day to her father and said, "What I have been 
calling your daughter in jest for years, I wish 
could come true — I wish you would let me marry 
her." The father was much astonished and pro- 
tested that Coimeau was much too old, for though 
only thirty he was more than double her age. 
He agreed, however, when he saw that Conneau 
was in earnest. "You are my best friend and I 
could wish no better husband for my daughter. 
So, if she is willing, I consent to the match, but 
it must be of her own free will — there must be 
no pressure brought to bear on her." 

Juliette was then just fourteen. The doc- 
tor went to her at once, told her that he was 
really serious, and asked her what she thought 
about the project, and whether she would hke to 
marry him. There and then she answered, "Oh 
certainly, I Hke you very much. I should be 
glad to be your wife, but on one condition. You 

175 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

must do one thing for me — take me where I can 
have singing lessons." Of course he said "y^s," 
and so very joyfully, and in a very childlike way 
she accepted the doctor. They were married 
before her fifteenth birthday, having first ob- 
tained special license from the Emperor, as she 
was under the legal marriageable age. The Em- 
peror was delighted that his friend should marry 
out of love, and the union turned out a remark- 
ably happy one, in spite of the disparity of their 
years. 

Louis, the son, who once came on a visit to 
Farnborough, was barely sixteen years younger 
than herself, and, mother and son were the great- 
est friends, almost playmates. IVIme. Conneau, 
once married, got her heart's desire, — singing les- 
sons by the best masters, — and was found to have 
a most beautiful voice. Dr. Conneau being the 
Emperor's physician, the family always lived 
within reach of one of the royal residences, either 
Fontainebleau or Compiegne where the Imperial 
family came at stated times of the year. Louis 
Conneau was a constant playfellow of the Prince 
Imperial's. Mme. Conneau, in talking over 
those days to me, told me how anxious she used 
to be during many hours daily, because these 
two boys were so daring. They kept her in a 
state of perpetual anxiety, until it was time for 
Monseigneur to go home, and she felt that she 

176 



DAILY EVENTS 

could conscientiously have her mind at rest until 
his next visit the following day. The Empress 
told her not to interfere with or protect him, and 
let him have absolute freedom to do whatever he 
wanted. So, these two venturesome boys spent 
most of the time climbing chimneys, jumping 
from roof to roof, and doing all sorts of danger- 
ous things, which she was powerless to prevent, 
but for which she felt nevertheless she would have 
been held morally responsible if any accident had 
happened. Small wonder then her relief when 
the Prince went home safely in the evening. 

When, after her husband's death, she was left 
with little money to live upon and educate her 
children, she turned her talent to account, became 
a professional singer, and this very charming 
woman was soon extremely popular in Paris. 

From a letter; 

Farnborough Hill, 
July 1, 1886. 
Today on coming up to my bedroom I found 
a quantity of pretty flowered sateen on my bed, 
and on inquiry found that the Empress had sent 
it me as a little surprise gift. She had been get- 
ting a number of pretty dresses for her nieces and 
wanted me to have the same. It was nice of her 
to think of me. 

Tomorrow will be the review. Earl Sidney, 
177 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

who lunched here yesterday, told us that the 
Queen's plans are all changed ; instead of remain- 
ing three days, she is to arrive at 4:30 p. m. for 
the review only. It will commence at five, be 
over about nine, and then her Majesty will return 
at once to Windsor, and according to this plan, 
she will not of course come to Farnborough at 
all. I hope we shall all go to the review, but I 
doubt it, as we are such a large party now, and 
I do not think the Empress will care to have her 
several pairs of horses out for so many hours 
at a stretch. 

From a letter: 

Farnborough Hill, 
July 4, 1886. 

They are in the midst of hay-making just now. 
The Park looks very picturesque with the har- 
vesters and the haycocks. 

Mme. de Arcos and Mrs. Vaughan were here 
for the review and were going to Brighton the 
next day to see my aunt and give her news of me. 
She will be much pleased. I need not tell you 
anything about the review itself; the papers gave 
a better account of it than I could. We went a 
party of twelve. We saw everything; we were 
in one of the enclosures and quite close to the 
royal carriages, whose occupants we readily 
recognized. There were present the Queen, with 

178 



DAILY EVENTS 

Princess Beatrice and Prince Henry of Batten- 
berg; Princess Louise of Lome; the Princess of 
Wales with her three daughters; the Prince of 
Wales and Prince Albert Victor; the old Duke 
of Cambridge; the Duke and Duchess of Con- 
naught ; and the Duke and Duchess of Teck with 
Princess Victoria, or Princess May, as she is gen- 
erally called. The march past was a grand sight, 
and had it not been for the bhnding dust, would 
have been perfect. To our delight, we found in 
the carriage delicious sandwiches, fruits, soda 
water and champagne, so we refreshed ourselves. 
We left the review ground at 7 :30, as soon as the 
Queen left, and returned home to dine a party of 
fourteen. 

Monday, July 9. Dr. Scott called in the after- 
noon to play tennis, while the girls and Mme. Le 
Breton were at a garden party; we two were 
alone with the Empress. 

Over our cups of tea, we talked of her very 
early days in England. The Empress told us 
that she "failli prendre la maison a Berkeley 
Square [had been on the point of taking the house 
at Berkeley Square]," celebrated for its terrible 
ghost stories, which have kept it uninhabited dur- 
ing several decades. She actually went over the 
building with the Prince, with a view to hiring it, 
but on coming out was warned by a strange gen- 

179 



EMPRESS EUGEXIE IX EXILE 

tleman who saw they were unknowing strangers.^ 
Also about a visit to Huntley and Palmer's enor- 
mous biscuit factory, her sensations in going up 
en ascenseur for the first time; and how very 
many biscuits she had to croquer before she left 
the large building with its 4000 workmen. At 
each different section of the many rooms she vis- 
ited, she had to accept and eat samples pressed 
upon her by the hands, who wanted to do her the 
honor of presenting her with their own special 
brand. 

Talking of Camden Hill and a tame monkey 
of hers, the Empress told us how angry he became 
with the Duchesse de ^louchy for laughing at 
him one day. It was at afternoon tea, and the 
little creature came up to the tea tray gibbering, 
made a dash at the cups and saucers, and viciously 
smashed the valuable Sevres service all to bits 
before he could be stopped. She told us also of 
her mingled horror and embarrassment once, 
when this same monkey jumped onto the head of 
a solemn diplomat who was calling on her, and 
made off with the wig he wore. The monkey had 
for some unknown reason taken a special dishke 
to him. After this escapade the monkey had to 
be relegated to a menagerie. 

1 It has since been pulled down as unprofitable property. 



180 



DAILY EVENTS 

From a letter ; 

Farnborough Hill, 
July 7, 1886. 

We have had several people here lately. Old 
Prince Lucien Bonaparte dined with us on Mon- 
day. He is the son of Lucien, brother of Na- 
poleon I, and there is no mistaking his kinship. 
The likeness is the more striking, as he even has 
the trick of sticking his left hand into the front 
of his buttoned-up coat in exactly the same way 
the Petit Corporal did. He is quite poor; lives 
in a small house in Bayswater, and devotes his 
entire life to scientific research. He is a great 
chemist and naturalist. 

Yesterday M. D'Antas, the Portuguese Min- 
ister, and his wife dined here, and today Countess 
Clary has arrived for a visit of a day or two. 

Thursday, July 8. The Dowager-Marchion- 
ess of Ely came to lunch and stayed till 4:45. 
She was for many years Mistress of the Robes 
and intimate friend of Queen Victoria. Mme. 
Conneau sang several songs for us after luncheon. 
She has a lovely voice and we all enjoyed listen- 
ing to her very much. A little song by Augusta 
Holmes called Noel especially took our fancy. 

Tuesday, July 13. I returned to Farnborough 
after a few days' absence at Downside. I had 
the same nice welcome which has always awaited 

181 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

me on my various homecomings. Found the 
Marquise de la Valette here on a visit. 

We heard definitely this evening that we are 
going Saturday next to Osborne, on a visit to the 
Queen. 

Thursday, July 15. The Pere Pollin came to 
see the Empress. After much cogitation all is 
finally settled now; the Premonstratensians ^ are 
coming to take charge of the Empress's Memorial 
Church and the monastery adjoining, as soon as 
completed. 

Friday, July 16. Mrs. Byrne and Mrs. Scott 
came to take leave of the Empress. 

1 Members of a religious order founded at Pr^montrd, France, 
in 1119. 



182 



PART III 

THE EMPRESS VISITS QUEEN VICTORIA 

From a letter : 

Osborne Cottage, 

East Cowes, Isle of Wight, 
11:30 p.m., July 17, 1886. 
It is late as you see, but I cannot go to bed 
without at least commencing a few lines to tell 
you all about this day, which has been tiring 
though a very pleasant one. My note written 
this morning must have reached you tonight, and 
told you that we left Farnborough at 1 :50 p. m. ; 
the horses, carriages and most of the servants hav- 
ing gone ahead yesterday to be in readiness for us 
here today. We reached Southampton at 3:30 
p. M., and went down to the docks accompanied 
by the station-master and part of the crew, num- 
bers of people lining the way, for they had seen 
the royal yacht getting up steam, and were curi- 
ous to know who the distinguished travelers might 
be. The pretty little Alberta was put at our dis- 
posal. Its white and gold fittings, bright awn- 
ings, and the scarlet drugget on the gangway, 

183 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

looked very gay and made a good groundwork 
for the uniforms of the naval officers and the 
crew, drawn up to receive the Empress. We 
went all over the yacht before she weighed anchor, 
and then sat on the upper deck enjoying the fine 
weather and the pretty view of the harbor. The 
short journey to the Isle of Wight was over only 
too soon, and at 4:30 we came ashore at Trin- 
ity Pier, the Queen's private landing, with much 
formality, and found our own carriages waiting 
for us. By 6:15 we had reached Osborne Cot- 
tage, enjoyed the first peep at our rooms, and 
were drinking some delicious tea all together. 
We thoroughlj^ appreciated it after an hour's 
blow on the sea.^ Directly afterward the Em- 
press, ]M., A. and I started out for a walk. The 
Empress wished to show us the little old town of 
West Cowes, of which she is very fond, and she is 
obliged to make hay while the sun shines, for on 
Tuesday the Queen arrives, and she would be hor- 
rified, and would positively veto for the Empress 
a trip on foot through the long, narrow, strag- 
gling street which constitutes the town. Eii 
chernin we met Lady Burgoyne, who was de- 
lighted to see the Empress and took us off to the 
Royal Yacht Squadron Club, where her husband, 

1 On our arrival we telegraphed our absent hostess: "To the 
Queen, Windsor. Just arrived, splendid passage. Osborne looks 
quite beautiful. — Comtesse de Pierrefonds." 

184 



EMPRESS VISITS QUEEN VICTORIA 

Sir John, joined us and did the honors of the 
place. We returned at 8 p. m., just in time to go 
to table (we do not dress for dinner here). 
After dinner we sat in the drawing-room a while 
and came upstairs rather early. I have since un- 
packed all my belongings and written this, and 
now I must really pop into bed, for I am quite 
tired out. I shall add more to my letter tomor- 
row, but think it prudent to get at least so far 
done, in case of unforeseen hindrances later. 
Good night. 

From a letter: 

Osborne Cottage, July 20, 1886. 

This is a cottage in name only ^ — in reality it 
is a pretty little country house, with a large ver- 
anda running around it. There is a central stair- 
case, and all the bedrooms open out into a gallery 
overlooking the hall. The whole is daintily and 
simply decorated, the furniture very plain, old- 
fashioned, and stiff, — but it is impressed upon us 
many times a day that we must nevertheless be 
very careful of everything, as the Queen is most 
particular. She will notice the least damage 
done to anything, when, at the end of our visit, 
following her usual plan, she may come in person 

1 The castle being too small for guests after the accommodation 
of the large royal household, the Queen was in the habit of offering 
Osborne Cottage and others, built on her own grounds, to members 
of her family or distinguished visitors. 

185 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

as the Empress has known her to do, and look 
over the empty cottage with a housekeeper. 

There being only the one little sitting-room, we 
are not supposed to leave any of our personal 
things about. The chau-s must remain during 
our stay arranged exactly as we found them, also 
the books on the central table; anything that is 
moved must be put back on the same spot. It is 
the only place into which the Queen or the prin- 
cesses can be shown, and as they are likely to 
come in at any moment, it is kept more or less 
sacred to Her Majesty, and we therefore com- 
monly use the dining-room or our own rooms. 
One royal housemaid belongs permanently in the 
house as caretaker, but the Empress has had to 
provide all the other servants, carriages, horses 
and silver. Gifts of most delicious French bread, 
though, are brought us every morning from the 
royal bakers, and fruit from the Queen's hot- 
houses. 

Since the first day's walk we have not seen 
much of Cowes, as the girls have been busy, and 
when there has been leisure after tea, torrents of 
rain have come down regularly to drive us imme- 
diately home ; but I think we are soon going for a 
little trip on the coach, which passes this door 
daily on its way to Carisbrooke Castle, and per- 
haps other expeditions may be proposed. 

You were very much in my thoughts on Sun- 
186 



EMPRESS VISITS QUEEN VICTORIA 

day. Mme. Le Breton and the two girls sat in 
what you have described to me as your old pew 
in the quaint little Catholic church. (I pictured 
you and my aunt as little girls kneeling there with 
your mother.) I knelt just behind them with the 
Due de Bassano. The Empress had a priedieu 
in the sanctuary. I wish I could identify the 
house j^ou used to live in, and which you describe. 
Lady Burgoyne loiows our friend Captain Thel- 
luson very well. The Boadicea she tells me has 
been sold and belongs to an elderly maiden lady, 
who has rechristened it the Ariadne. Mr. and 
Mrs. Peter Thelluson are coming down here for 
the regatta. They have only a tiny yacht. Lady 
Burgoyne is going to find out all she can about 
their plans and let me know. 

On Sunday, as our royal hostess had not yet 
arrived, the Empress, with whom we went for a 
very long walk in Cowes, took the opportunity of 
showing us over every nook and corner of the 
grounds of Osborne Castle (it is known officially 
as Osborne House), a modern building erected 
by Queen Victoria. She told us the while many 
interesting things about it all. The park is 
magnificent, and the view of the sea through the 
foliage is beautiful. We went down and picked 
up shells on the sand, while the Empress rested 
part of the time. We saw Princess Beatrice's 
bathing place and walked along the lovely ter- 

187 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

race wall, which, shaded with trees and overhang- 
ing rocks, skirts the sea for miles. How the good 
breeze there would have refreshed you, dear G., 
if our long, steady tramp of two and a half hours 
had not first killed you. 

In front of the castle there are some trees 
planted many years ago by the Emperor and 
Empress, and quite a few others put there by 
celebrated personages. The names of most of 
the sovereigns and princes of Europe are in- 
scribed on the little metal plates which record the 
date of planting. This afternoon at 1 :30 amid 
great clatter of horses and carriages, Highland 
regiments and bagpipes, the Queen arrived, and 
everything is bustle and brightness in the land 
now. A mounted messenger has already come 
up to the cottage to announce the first royal visit, 
and another followed a few minutes later bearing 
notice of postponement and change of plans, 
which will keep us constantly on the qui vive. 
Her JSIajesty is expected any minute now, and 
everyone has retired to his or her room, so as not 
to be in the way. It is not etiquette for anyone 
to be seen, except those whom the Queen has spe- 
cially asked for, and it is still worse form to be 
seen hurrying away. To avoid the dilemma, 
therefore, there is nothing for us to do in this tiny 
house but to remain closely secluded. 

188 



EMPRESS VISITS QUEEN VICTORIA 

The Empress has just sent up word to the girls 
that if the Queen asks for them, they will be 
fetched, if not, they are to remain out of sight. 
I have been showing them how to improve their 
low courtesy, as I am supposed by the Empress 
to be an adept. Mme. de Arcos arrived here yes- 
terday to stay some time. 

I should answer H., but I have not a moment. 
It is only thanks to the Queen's presence that we 
are at this moment comfortably installed in our 
rooms and have ink. So far we have had to stay 
in the garden with our books a good part of the 
day, and are not allowed even to take an inkstand 
about with us, for fear of spilling it. This is one 
of the privileges (?) of living in a house belong- 
ing to Queen Victoria. 

It seems so funny to have everything in the 
house marked with the Queen's famihar mono- 
gram "V. R.," and the arms of England, — even 
the hot water cans, towels, sheets, and books. It 
is also strange to see nothing on the walls but por- 
traits and engravings of the different members of 
the royal family. Over the piano is an engrav- 
ing after Winterhalter, representing the Prince 
Consort, the Queen and three or four of her chil- 
dren ; and a Landseer, Prince Consort and Dogs, 
is another one. Goodby for the present. 



189 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

From a letter: 

Osborne Cottage, 
July 22, 1886. 

I said I should only write to you after the naval 
review tomorrow, but as I have a little time today, 
while M. and A. are writing home to their uncle, 
and as I may possibly not have a minute later, it 
is best to begin while I can. Yesterday morning 
we went for a walk with the Empress and Mme. 
de Arcos. We missed our way and got lost. 
An unknown lady we met showed us the right 
road, and invited us to her house, where we sat 
and rested on her veranda, and admired her lovely 
sea view. Mrs. Firman, as her name turned out 
to be, was delighted at the opportunity of thus 
unexpectedly giving hospitality to the Empress, 
and begged us to come again. 

After lunch at three, the Empress, the Duke, 
and Mme. Le Breton returned the Queen's of- 
ficial visit of the day before. We three girls 
started for a drive, but the blue sky was suddenly 
obscured, and such torrents of rain fell we were 
obliged to turn back immediately. This morn- 
ing, for the first time, A. took a sea bath. I ac- 
companied her, but did not care to go into the 
water, as the beach here is covered with rough 
shingle, and as it is necessary to hold a rope on 
account of dangerous undercurrents the bath 
would have seemed too stupid after the delightful 

190 



EMPRESS VISITS QUEEN VICTORIA 

freedom of Ostend. A. found it a great scram- 
ble, as we had driven to the bathing place (quite 
the other side of West Cowes) with the Empress, 
who got out and walked with Mme. de Arcos 
while we were down at the water's edge, and of 
course we could not keep her waiting too long. 
Tomorrow will be the naval review, and unless 
plans are changed between this time and then, we 
are going with Mme. de Arcos to see it, on board 
the man-of-war Northampton, which is com- 
manded by Captain Fane, a cousin of hers. 

Princess Beatrice says she does not know 
whether the Queen will be present. Her Maj- 
esty thinks herself it would be well for her to do 
so, but she so hates and dreads the sea, and it 
makes her so ill and nervous, that her daughter 
has not the courage to "persuade mamma" to go. 
It seems she told Prince Hemy, who was urging 
the Queen to go, that if he knew the state her 
mother would be in, he would never again press 
her to do so. The yacht Alberta and the other 
larger royal yacht, Victoria and Albert, are ly- 
ing in readiness, in case they are needed by the 
castle. I think the Empress is going to dine 
with the Queen this evening, but alone, without 
any lady or gentleman to accompany her, as Her 
Majesty finds it too hot for large parties just 
now, the Empress says. 

M. and A. have not been presented yet. Tire- 
191 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

some, after our long wait of two and a half hours 
the other day, closely imprisoned in our rooms, 
without being able even to go out and to get a 
book, — and with no work, or anything on earth 
to do. It was exasperating, but it will be the last 
time, I hope, that this will happen, as that was the 
Queen's official visit. From now on. Her Maj- 
esty's daily calls will be quite private and in- 
formal. She comes down now through her 
grounds from Osborne Castle alone, and across 
the road which separates our place from hers, 
passing through a small wicket gate just opposite 
my window. At any hour in the morning now 
we are apt to hear the key turn in the lock, and 
see her appear through the gate and walk into the 
cottage unannounced, with possibly one of her lit- 
tle grandchildren or her colHe dog for sole com- 
panion. Then I am always supposed to give the 
alarm quickly: "The Queen," which promptly 
sends the rest of the household, Mmes. Le Breton 
and de Arcos, the Due de Bassano and others, 
scrambling to their various rooms to leave the 
coast clear. 

If the morning visit fails. Her Majesty sends 
a messenger in the afternoon to name the hour 
she will come for afternoon tea, and many 
changes of plans are gone through again, before 
that little social affair is finally un fait accompli. 
Her Majesty, and the princes and princesses who 

192 




R. V. S. CLUBHOUSE 
West Cowes, Isle of Wight 




O.SBOKNE HOUSE 
The Isle of Wight, home of Queen Victoria 



EMPRESS VISITS QUEEN VICTORIA 

may accomj^any her, always have tea alone with 
the Empress, while the ladies-in-waiting and 
other lesser visiting mortals drink tea with us. 

Wednesday evening. Instead of keeping this 
letter to finish until after the naval review, I think 
it will give you more pleasure if I send what is 
written tonight. The Queen's private messenger 
carries the royal despatches, and also takes our 
letters twice a day to the mainland (Southamp- 
ton ) , so you will get this some time before even- 
ing, I hope. 

From a letter: 

Osborne Cottage, 
July 24, 1886. 

At eleven o'clock M., A., Mrs. Vaughan and 
myself drove to West Cowes. There we took 
the steamer Carisbrooke for Ryde, where we were 
joined by Colonel Vaughan, Mme. de Arcos's 
brother, with about twenty other people, prospec- 
tive guests of Captain Fane of the ironclad 
N orthavipton. After waiting on the pier a little 
while and signaling to the man-of-war, we went 
aboard the Argus, a small Admiralty steamer do- 
ing omnibus duty, which dropped the invited 
guests at their respective ships. Then we were 
transferred to rowboats and boarded the North- 
ampton about two o'clock, finding in the mess- 
room on the main deck a delicious lunch laid out, 

193 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

which was done great justice to by all, as each 
one of the thirty guests seemed ravenous. 

The lunch over, Captain Fane and six of his 
officers took us all over the ship, and showed us 
everything in detail. It was most interesting. 
The crew numbers 600 men, and the Northamp- 
ton is a ship of 12,000 tons. The guns are ter- 
rible looking things, and the noise between decks, 
while firing salutes, is something dreadful. A. 
and several other ladies fired some off. The guns 
are so perfected now that they can be worked by 
simply pressing an electric button some distance 
of¥. 

You have no doubt read all about the review in 
the papers, so I will not waste time telling you 
what you already know. All I will say is, that 
it was extremely interesting, and when the Al- 
berta steamed through the fleet, we were sur- 
prised as it passed close alongside to see our Em- 
press sitting comiDosedly on deck with the Queen, 
and to recognize Mme. de Arcos, the Duke and 
Mme. Le Breton with the royal suite, on the 
Victoria and Albert, which followed. We had 
left the rest of our party in the morning all 
quietl}^ at home, not expecting to go to the review 
at all, — hence our astonishment. No sooner had 
we started off, it appears, than a royal invitation 
came for all of us. We were delighted to have 
escaped it, and probably enjoyed our day on the 

194 



EMPRESS VISITS QUEEN VICTORIA 

Northamjiton veiy much more than we should 
have done amid the honors and restrictions of 
the royal yacht. 

Tea, ices, etc., were served at 6 :30 P. m. be- 
fore starting home, and we arrived at Osborne 
Cottage only at 9 p. m., very tired and wet. 
Had it only been fine overhead instead of rain- 
ing cats and dogs without ceasing, it would have 
been one of the most delightful days I have ever 
spent and full of most interesting and novel ex- 
periences. 

From a letter : 

Osborne Cottage, 
July 26, 1886. 

Yesterday morning we were suddenly inter- 
rupted by the Empress, who brought a letter in- 
viting us all to visit the Victoria and Albert. 
Nothing loth, we three soon had our things on 
and with the Empress crossed over to the Queen's 
landing place, where the royal yacht Alberta was 
lying. While waiting for Mme. de Arcos to pick 
up a few friends of hers in Cowes we got into 
the Queen's barge, a small steam launch, and 
young Lieutenant Carr took us for a short cruise 
around several vessels anchored in the bay. 
When our entire party had been rounded up we 
were received on board the Victoria and Albert 
by a whole legion of officers in uniform, who 

195 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

showed us all over the magnificent yacht. She 
is immense and has a crew of 180 men, which is 
sufficient to give you some idea of her size. 

Queen Victoria's bedroom and sitting-rooms 
are exactly like those of a small country house, 
decorated in white and gold, and though simply 
furnished, contain everything one could possibly 
want in one's home. The cabins of the princes 
and princesses are smaller, but roomy and pretty, 
and the suite, too, is comfortably provided for, 
as are also the servants. These latter, I think, 
are almost better off than the officers, for though 
lodged below the main deck, they have plenty of 
light, air and space. The engine room is simply 
a picture, so beautifully kept, all as bright as sil- 
ver and no smell whatever, and the kitchen with 
its huge fires and the many white-capped chefs 
superintending the roasting of large joints for 
the crew, would make one quite forget one was 
anywhere but in an ordinary town kitchen. 

I wish the Queen would offer us the Victoria 
and Albert for a cruise around the island, such 
as Mme. de Arcos and Colonel Vaughan made 
last year with the Prince of Wales. The small 
steam pinnace has been put at the Empress's dis- 
posal for our entire visit on the Isle of Wight, but 
that trip is so long and time is flying. 

M. and A. have been in suspense all week, for 
according to etiquette the Empress could not 

196 



EMPRESS VISITS QUEEN VICTORIA 

present them to the Queen till the latter expressly 
asked for them, which she only did this afternoon. 
The Queen, Princess Beatrice and Prince Henry 
came to afternoon tea at 4:30. They joined the 
Empress in the little drawing-room and the rest 
of us, as usual on these occasions, entertained the 
Queen's lady-in-waiting in the dining-room. A 
few minutes before Her Majesty's departure the 
girls were hastily summoned, and went to make 
their courtesies and kiss her hand. Literally in 
two minutes they were back, having found Her 
Majesty very simple, gracious and kind. 

The contrast of her small stature and gi-eat 
dignity surprised them very much. It seems 
strange that a woman of her build, verging on 
extreme old age, bereft of many former physical 
attractions and unbecomingly dressed, should 
have such a dignified bearing, and be able to im- 
press everyone who comes in contact with her by 
her queenly person-ality and charm. Her de- 
lightfully modulated voice and sweet, genuine 
smile, have, I think, much to do with it ; and her 
strong sterling qualities of mind and heart make 
themselves felt in spite of the somewhat plain 
exterior. The Queen's memory for names and 
faces is something marvelous. Like the Empress 
she also takes a great though impersonal interest 
in people, whom she has never seen, and prob- 
ably never will see; makes inquiries into inci- 

197 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

dents of their lives; and, years after, sui'prises 
her hearers by her remembrance of the details 
which have been given her. 

So far the Empress has only dined once with 
her hostess, as the Queen is busily occupied just 
now with a change of ministers. The Empress 
looked lovely the evening she went to the castle. 
I do not wonder people raved about her when 
she was younger, for she is still so charming and 
withal so majestic. 

And now I am going to answer all your nu- 
merous questions about the castle and Cowes. 
First of all, I have looked about everywhere and 
cannot see your old house, Ivy Cottage, nor do I 
know where Lord Henry Seymour's place was, 
unless it could have been Norris Castle, just 
across the water adjoining Osborne. It is an 
old thirteenth-century chateau-fort, with lovely 
grounds, and stately peacocks strutting about 
and perching on every available piece of stone- 
work, while showing off their gorgeous tails and 
uttering ear-splitting screeches. The place has 
now been bought by the Duke of Bedford and 
made a present to his wife. The Empress was 
telling us the other day during our walk in Nor- 
ris Castle grounds that the Queen, who is so fond 
of Osborne Castle, spent a good part of her girl- 
hood in the vicinity. After her father's death, 
the Princess Victoria and the Duchess of Kent, 

198 



EMPRESS VISITS QUEEN VICTORIA 

it appears, lived here in this very Norris Castle 
and the details of her life as they came direct 
from her own lips to the Empress and repeated 
to us, were most interesting. 

H. I. ]M. told us a great deal about the Queen's 
young days and of the help which Leopold I of 
Belgium, her maternal uncle, had given her in 
those times of quasi-poverty. Without him her 
mother could not have afforded the many pro- 
fessors and masters called in to give the young 
Victoria the thorough education which helped so 
materially to make her in after days a good and 
useful queen. In the gardens we saw a small 
pavilion, where the little Princess took most of 
her lessons in fine weather. 

Her Majesty's early training made her thrifty, 
but, in spite of her saving, she did not accumu- 
late the large fortune which most people at- 
tribute to her, as there have always been many 
private outlets for her wealth. She herself said, 
that she had been gradually paying off the enor- 
mous debts left by her father, and not until 1880 
had she finally succeeded. Princess Beatrice, 
she said, had long before (as a measure of pre- 
caution) been provided for, because should she 
marry after the Queen's death, she could not 
obtain the marriage portion granted to the 
daughter of a king, but not granted to the sister 
of a king, as she would then be. 

199 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

These things seem to me to reveal the charac- 
ter of Queen Victoria, always a strong, vigorous, 
earnest woman, who took her life's responsibili- 
ties seriously and strenuously, and who proved 
herself a true and loj'^al friend to those who had 
the honor of close intimacy. 

From a letter : 

Osborne Cottage, 

Monday, July 26, 1886. 

Today we were just going out for a walk with 
the Empress on our way to the baths, when on 
passing the pier where the Alberta is moored, we 
saw that preparations had been made for the re- 
ception of some one. The officers were e7i 
grande tenue. We passed by, not thinking the 
gala clothes were for us. When we were almost 
out of sight the captain came running after us 
to say he had received orders from the castle, 
and the steam launch was waiting the other side 
of the Alberta to convey us to the turret ship, 
Colossus, the great feature of the review the 
other day. It was then 12:15 and the whole 
crew had been since 11:30 on tiptoe in expecta- 
tion of the Empress's visit on board the man-of- 
war, so we lost no time in starting off, and soon 
came alongside. The crew was drawn up on the 
main deck as was also a detachment of marines, 
and as soon as the captain handed the Empress 

200 



EMPRESS VISITS QUEEN VICTORIA 

up from the gangway to the deck, they presented 
arms, the bugle sounded, and one of the sailors 
piped a sort of mournful whistle, which is sup- 
posed to be a mark of great honor. We were 
shown everything. The Armstrong guns are 
marvelous, and to see whole turrets of iron and 
steel with monstrous guns turning around and 
moving to the requisite position, by just the 
slightest pressure on a small spring, makes one 
shudder to think how the mind of man can invent, 
perfect, and be focused on such instruments of 
destruction. The whole battle can be fought, 
the ship managed, and orders given to the men 
below, by three officers placed in a turret called 
the conning-tower, the walls of which are six- 
teen inches thick, with ingeniously arranged slits 
through which the enemy can be seen. There 
are mathematical instruments of every sort, a 
whole battery of electric buttons, and speaking 
tubes which go down to the very depths of the 
ship. The officer in control can fire guns, give 
his orders, slack or accelerate the speed of the 
ship, without moving an inch away from his post. 
It is simply astounding! 

We only got home at two o'clock and found 
Osborne Cottage quite anxious at the Empress's 
non-appearance, as they knew nothing of our ex- 
pedition. By some mistake, the Queen's 
mounted messenger bearing the letter of invita- 

201 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

tion with particulars had never reached the cot- 
tage till five o'clock in the afternoon. 

The Empress's servants were to accompany 
those of the Queen's sight-seeing at 3 p. m., 
which they did, and as luck would have it a num- 
ber of people came to write their names in the 
Visitors' Book during their absence. A German 
prince, Augustus of Saxony, arrived in one of 
the royal carriages to call, and after him came 
the Duke and Duchess of Connaught, who 
reached Cowes only today. It amused the Em- 
press very much, as there was no one available 
but the Due de Bassano to open the door. 

I must finish now abruptly, or I shall miss 
the post, and to-morrow I shall be unable to 
write, as the Empress has accepted an invitation 
to cruise, and we shall be away all day. 

P. S. Yes, the ferry joining East- and West- 
Cowes still exists, as it did in your youthful days. 
We all wish there was a bridge instead, as it is 
such a tiresome, slow business getting horses and 
carriages over each time we drive out from here. 

From a letter: 

Osborne Cottage, 
July 28, 1886. 
Now, I daresay, you would like to hear a little 
about our yachting trip of yesterday, — but there 
is not much to tell you, except that we enjoyed 

202 



EMPRESS VISITS QUEEN VICTORIA 

the yacht itself very much, for as we were sud- 
denly becalmed we never got to Alum Bay and 
The Needles at all. We saw nothing of the con- 
tour of the island, and remained perfectly mo- 
tionless for hours between Yarmouth on the 
island and Lymington on the mainland. It was 
a great pity, as it is our only chance for a sail at 
present, the Modwena having been lent to Sir 
John and Lady Burgoyne for the Empress's use 
on that one day only. The owner, a Mr. Gret- 
ton, was away, and had put his yacht at their dis- 
posal with a splendid luncheon and every com- 
fort possible, besides a substantial tea at five 
o'clock. The schooner is not so large as I re- 
member Captain Thelluson's Guinevere to have 
been. The Modwena is pretty fast and very 
comfortable, and has just returned from a long 
cruise around Norway and Sweden. 

We landed at 6 :30 p. m., having been taken 
out each time and brought back to shore by the 
Queen's steam launch. It is not true, as the 
papers state, that Osborne Cottage has been of- 
fered us for a month longer, but the Empress is 
going to stay on for another week anyway, and 
we shall most probably only return to Farn- 
borough Saturday week, and shall therefore I am 
glad to say be here for the regatta. 



203 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

From a letter: 

Osborne Cottage, 
July 30, 1886. 

There is not very much news just now, but 
still the time passes quickly, and on the whole, 
in spite of many annoying restrictions, I shall be 
very sorry when we have to leave. I told you 
about our afternoon on board the Modwena on 
Tuesday. Well, M. and I have not done any- 
thing very special since then, but A., who is a 
better sailor than her sister and enjoys the water, 
went yesterday for a little cruise with the Em- 
press and Mme. de Arcos in the steam pinnace. 
The party returned to tea at five, bringing with 
them the young officer in command. Admiral 
Phillimore's son. To-day M. too, is to venture 
out on the sea. They are going with the Em- 
press for a sail in the Duke of Connaught's yacht. 
This morning as we were coming home from the 
town, after A.'s sea bath, we met the Duke and 
Duchess of Connaught, and further on, this side 
of the Medina River, we got a very cordial bow 
from Princess Beatrice, who with her husband 
was driving down to board their tiny yacht, 
Leander, 

Wednesday was quite a royalty day. At 11 
o'clock the Queen came to see the Empress, 
bringing with her two of her little grandchildren, 
the Connaughts, and accompanied by Princess 

204 



EMPRESS VISITS QUEEN VICTORIA 

Beatrice, who remained with the Empress after 
the Queen's departure till past one o'clock, when 
she, too, returned to the castle through the little 
wicket gate opposite my window. A Mrs. Ev- 
erett lunched with us. In the afternoon the Em- 
press went to return the call of the Duke and 
Duchess of Connaught, who are staying at Kent 
House, one of the Queen's guest cottages. The 
Empress then drove to the castle, where the 
Queen was waiting with Princess Beatrice, to 
take their imperial friend for a drive. 

The members of the royal family, though so ex- 
ceedingly domestic and affectionate, have de- 
veloped — true also of the people connected with 
the court — a strange surface dread of meeting 
the Queen, which is perfectly incomprehensible 
to outsiders. It is quite genuine on the part of 
her children, and is probably the result of their 
rather stern bringing up. As little things they 
were much loved, but also subjected to much 
discipline. The efforts they now make to vanish 
into thin air, when the Queen comes upon them 
unawares, are most ludicrous. From the mem- 
bers of the family the entourage has caught this 
same spirit, which often leads to amusing inci- 
dents. Here is one which happened yesterday: 

The girls and I had been in the afternoon for 
a quiet walk to look at Whippingham Church, 
designed and built by Prince Albert, and where 

205 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

Princess Beatrice was married last year. Re- 
turning home, we came suddenly upon a party, 
which turned out to be Mme. de Arcos and 
the Duke, who having met Prince Henry and 
the Duke of Connaught with their aids-de-camp, 
were walking leisurely home toward Osborne 
Cottage with them. Naturally, we slackened our 
pace, when to our dismay we saw looming in the 
distance certain white ponies and outriders. 
Caught between two fires, we paused a moment, 
took in the situation, and quickly decided that 
we had just time to scramble to safety before the 
Queen's carriage could draw up at the door. 
Seeing that the advance party had already turned 
into the ivy-covered porch, we gave wings to our 
heels and bolted in, and came upon them saying 
goodby to one another, nearly knocking them 
over in our mad haste. What followed was most 
amusing. Prince Henry and the Duke of Con- 
naught, seeing our breathless condition and hear- 
ing at the same time horses' hoofs quickly ap- 
proaching, sensed the impending danger and left 
their conversation unfinished, having in common 
with us only one idea, — that of getting out of 
the Queen's sight at once. Prince Henry, who 
knew his way about the cottage, waited for no 
one and dashed off through our small private 
gate; but the Duke of Connaught, less versed in 
the topography of the place, turned appealingly 

206 



EMPRESS VISITS QUEEN VICTORIA 

to me, asking piteously to be shown some way 
out. A few seconds later I had hastily guided 
him through our hall and dining-room and out 
bj^ the long French window, and he was madly 
careering down our garden, leaving the aids-de- 
camp, Majors Bigg and Edgerton, to get away 
as best they could. 

The Empress was much amused at hearing 
the story at dinner, and told us she had seen 
over the garden hedge, as she drove by with the 
Queen, the two gentlemen running away and 
wondered what it meant. She says she has often 
seen even the Prince of Wales, in years gone 
by, hiding behind bushes in the grounds of Os- 
borne Castle, when he thought his royal mother 
was coming along. 

Poor people or perfect strangers the Queen 
never minds seeing at all. It is only those whom 
she knows something about, that she does not 
care to encounter, as it would put her in the 
awkward position of either being discourteous 
and passing them by, or being forced to talk to 
them when she feels disinclined to do so. Hence 
out of deference to the Queen's feelings there is 
a tacit understanding that one must never be 
seen on her path. This has grown into a stereo- 
typed rule. 

Friday, July 80. Went with A. on foot to 
207 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

the baths. Coming back, met the Duke and 
Duchess of Connaught in Cowes, and at the ferry 
Sir John and Lady Burgoyne, who invited the 
girls and me to take tea with them on Sunday. 

From a letter: 

Osborne Cottage, 
July 31, 1886. 

M. and A. enjoyed their httle trip on board 
the Prince of Wales's yacht, lent to the Duke of 
Connaught for that particular occasion. The 
Aline, you remember, was Captain Thelluson's 
first yacht, which he brought to Ostend during 
several summers, and on which we spent such 
pleasant days when I was a child. Later on, 
after building the Guinevere, he sold the Aline 
to the Prince of Wales. They had tea on board 
with the Duke and Duchess, and returned home 
about 7:30. 

The Empress, Mme. de Arcos and the Duke 
are expected for dinner at the castle at 9:15. 
The Duke looked unusually handsome and digni- 
fied in his court dress, the very picture of an old 
courtier; Mme. de Arcos, resplendent with dia- 
monds; and the Empress so distinguee, her soft 
gray hair so prettih^ dressed, and her whole per- 
son so graceful and so wonderfully young look- 
ing. Her youthfulness was accentuated by her 
simple black dress with only a suggestion of jet 

208 




.* T' 



<?- 




EMPRESS VISITS QUEEN VICTORIA 

trimming, her short sleeves and low bodice show- 
ing to perfection her still beautiful arms and 
shoulders. The Queen has always allowed her 
friend while in mourning for her son, as a great 
exception to the cast-iron low-neck rule, to wear 
in its place only an open bodice, and adopted the 
same for herself. The other evening, however, as 
the Queen had lately resumed the regulation low 
bodice and short sleeves, the Empress in spite 
of the permission granted her did not like again 
to be the only exception, so with a great effort 
she went in full dress, and for the first time since 
the Prince Imperial's death in 1879. 

On returning from dining at Osborne the Em- 
press told us some stories about Prince Henry's 
free and easy ways, and how he stopped the 
carillon one day, so that his accidental unpunc- 
tuality might not be noticed. Also, a tale con- 
cerning him when unable once to get back in 
time for dinner. He was out sailing, and being 
becalmed the time slipped away, and he saw with 
terror the sacred dinner hour approaching. At 
last, after much manoeuvering and by rowing 
his little sailboat part of the way, he was able 
to reach land several miles from Osborne, and 
secured some kind of rattle-trap conveyance to 
take him to the castle. Arrived at the lodge, 
the vehicle was refused admittance, and to the 
Prince's despair he was obliged to get out and 

209 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

show himself before they would open the gates, 
chafing the while at the waste of precious min- 
utes. In spite of his strenuous efforts, when he 
finally reached the castle he found the family 
already seated at table. There was no remedy, 
and so, making the best of a bad job, he walked 
quietly into the dining-room, just as he was in 
his rough yachting clothes, and made his apol- 
ogies to his royal mother-in-law so simply, and 
was so bright about it, that he was able to carry 
off what would have been an absolutely unpar- 
donable offense in another. The Queen seems 
very fond of him. 

The Empress told us also about Mme. de Arcos 
fainting that night at the Queen's table. Her 
Majesty, in great distress, and attributing it of 
course to her bugbear, the heat, turned to the 
Princess and said, "You see, Beatrice, you will 
keep the rooms so warm!" So, though a chilly 
wind was already blowing in on JVIme. de Arcos's 
back, more windows had to be opened. 

During yesterday's yachting expedition Mme. 
Le Breton, the Duke and I went for a drive. 
The road they chose being blocked, we drove 
straight on and presently came in sight of the 
town of Ryde, so I immediately expressed the 
wish to go and call on the Alexanders. Mrs. 
Alexander had written to me only the other day, 
asking if I could come over some day to lunch 

210 



EMPRESS VISITS QUEEN VICTORIA 

or dinner, and make their acquaintance. As the 
Empress was dining out at the castle, I thought 
I could easily arrange my temporary absence 
through Mme. Le Breton. Unfortunately I 
found the family all away for the day, A pity 
to have missed such an excellent opportunity, as 
another may not present itself. We never know 
here from one hour to another, what the arrange- 
ments are going to be, or whether or no we shall 
be free, so it is extremely difficult to arrange a 
private expedition. Yesterday, while we were 
all out walking, Mr. Gladstone called and wrote 
his name in the Visitors' Book. I should like to 
have seen the G. O. M. He had been to the 
castle and had a long interview with the Queen, 
who, the Empress told us, looked much relieved 
at dinner time, and brightened up noticeably in 
the evening, having, as the Empress expressed 
it, adjusted a disagreeable matter. Gladstone, it 
appears, expects though to get into office again, 
for he told some of the gentlemen at the castle 
that he hoped to see them again in a few months. 
Let us hope he won't. 

Saturday, July 31. Today the Prince of 
Wales and family are to arrive for the regatta 
week. Tout ce qui est elegant in Cowes will be 
on the Green at 7 p. m. to see H. M. S. Osborne 
come in. All the yachts and steamers are dressed 

211 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

awaiting the royal arrival. We heard the cannon 
firing a salute on the arrival of the yacht, and 
later saw the Prince and Princess of Wales land- 
ing in the steam launch. 

From a letter: 

Osborne Cottage, 

Sunday, August 1, 1886. 

We witnessed the actual arrival from a dis- 
tance only, as we were obliged to wait about in- 
doors with the Empress, who was expecting a 
visit from Sir William Jenner, especially sent 
to see her professionally by the Queen. We had 
not time to get down to the green by seven 
o'clock. This was a pity, for though we belong 
to the royal cottage, owing to etiquette, we see 
comparatively little of the royal visitors, and we 
should like at least not to be less au fait than the 
public at large. 

We had tea at Lady Burgoyne's, where we 
met numbers of interesting people, among others 
Miss Law, JNIrs. Grant, Mrs. Foster, Lady Sta- 
pleton, and Mr. and Mrs. Rolls. 

P. S. The mignonette I inclose is some I took 
with the Empress's permission, from a huge bas- 
ketful sent in yesterday by Princess Beatrice to 
her imperial friend, for whom I arranged it. 

Monday, August 2. Admiral Woodhouse 
212 



EMPRESS VISITS QUEEN VICTORIA 

lunched here. We met the Duke and Duchess 
of Bedford coming to call. A. and I went for a 
long walk with the Empress in the evening from 
5 :30 to 8 :30 in Osborne grounds, as usual along 
the sea-wall and sands, where we again picked 
up some lovely delicate shells. The Empress 
gave me all she collected, and I shall keep them 
carefully as souvenirs of the Queen's seashore and 
of the Empress who picked them up for me. 

From a letter: 

Osborne Cottage, 
August 4, 1886. 

I have only sent you postal cards the last few 
days, but there are a few minutes of leisure now, 
while the girls are trying on a number of very 
pretty yachting dresses their aunt is having made 
for them at Redfem's (the original Redfern, 
who started in a modest little shop here in East 
Cowes). 

All the girls' summer hats were trimmed by 
the imperial aunt's fingers. This the nieces did 
not at all approve of, for although trimmed with 
much taste, it was absolutely regardless of the 
prevailing fashion. Prettily made bows and nice 
fresh flowers could hardly make up in their eyes 
for this faihng, and I quite sympathized with 
them. But they could not refuse to wear them, 
nevertheless, and it was always a struggle of 

213 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

politeness to enjoy and be unconscious about 
these home-made creations, so httle in keeping 
with the many styhsh Redfern gowns provided 
for them. One evening about this time the Em- 
press trimmed a garden hat for me. 

The Empress and party were invited through 
Lady Burgoyne for a Httle cruise on the steam 
yacht Santa Maria, belonging to friends of hers, 
Mr. and Mrs. Henry Rolls. Partly on account 
of not caring for yachting, and partly because 
she wanted to keep herself disengaged for the 
Queen that afternoon, the Empress declined for 
herself but accepted for us. We joined Lady 
Burgoyne and the other guests, about eighteen 
in all, at the Royal Yacht Squadron Club, and 
then started off in a steam launch for the Santa 
Maria, which was moored some distance out. 
After being shown over everything, we steamed 
off in the direction of Ryde to see how the eight 
racing yachts were getting on. We soon over- 
hauled them, and having had a good look at 
them went down to luncheon, for which we were 
more than ready. 

When we got to the furthest extremity of the 
island, and had passed the forts guarding the 
entrance of the channel, we turned back, going 
full speed past Cowes again, and in a very short 
time were down at The Needles, which looked 
very picturesque. We had beautiful weather all 

214 



EMPRESS VISITS QUEEN VICTORIA 

dajs and were home about 6:30, just in time to 
see the winning yacht come in, and hear the can- 
non announcing the victory. 

We found that the Empress and the rest of the 
party had been for a cruise with the Queen, the 
Battenbergs and Connaughts, in the Victoria 
and Albert^ and Mme. de Arcos and the Empress 
dined out with Her Majesty. To-morrow the 
Empress, her two nieces and Mme. de Arcos are 
invited aboard the Osborne as guests of the 
Prince of Wales, to go around the island. Mme. 
Le Breton, the Due de Bassano, and I are not 
included in the party, and I think, if possible, 
of accepting Mrs. Alexander's invitation to 
lunch. 

From a letter : 

Osborne Cottage, 
August 6, 1886. 
The card I sent you this morning will tell you 
that I enjoyed my visit to Ryde very much yes- 
terday, and now that I have some few minutes 
to spare while M. and her sister are writing to 
their uncle, a few further details may give you 
pleasure. 

Well, you know already that the Empress, the 
girls and Mme. de Arcos, went around the island 
on the royal yacht Osborne, and that they, with 
about fifty other guests, met the Prince and 

215 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

Princess of Wales and their three daughters, also 
Princess Louise, Marchioness of Lome, Prince 
Henry of Battenberg and the Prince of Hesse. 
The girls do not seem to have enjoyed them- 
selves very wildly; they spent their time princi- 
pally with the little Princesses — Victoria, Maud 
and Louise, — who they say are painfully shy. 
It seems that their conversation concerned itself 
particularly with cameras, photographs and bi- 
cycles, which seem to be their main interest in life 
at present, and they showed M. and A. con amove 
the many photographs of celebrities and actresses 
hanging in little collapsible wire frames over 
the berths in their cabins. But still it was inter- 
esting for these Spanish girls to be in such un- 
usual surroundings. The yachting party in- 
cluded also the Marquesa de Santurce and her 
two daughters, and the Muriettas. They re- 
turned home about 7 p. m. 

But now about myself, who, with Mme. Le 
Breton and the Due de Bassano, were left out of 
the cruise. I finally succeeded in lunching with 
Mrs. Alexander. During my visit she told me 
an interesting anecdote and an appropriate one 
to my stay at Osborne Cottage. When she was 
still a baby, a carriage broke down one night 
near her father's home in the country. All pos- 
sible assistance and hospitality were given to the 
stranded travelers, who tui^ned out to be the 

216 



EMPRESS VISITS QUEEN VICTORIA 

Duchess of Kent and the infant Victoria. I left 
Ryde on the 7 :30 boat and was back here in time 
for dinner at 8:30, though we were somewhat 
delayed by the many yachts around the landing. 

During dinner, after her return from the trip 
on the Osborne, the Empress gave us a full ac- 
count of the day and her reflections concerning 
the Prince of Wales. She says he is a very good 
fellow in many ways, bon camarade, naturally 
good-hearted, and has shown himself on many 
occasions most generous and courageous, but 
though he knows better he is often lacking in 
proper courtesy. 

After dinner the whole of our party went 
down to the seashore, where we saw the fireworks 
over at West Cowes and from the warship 
Northampton, and the royal yacht Osborne. All 
the ships were beautifully illuminated and it was 
a very pretty sight, with hundreds of lights re- 
flected in the water. We walked home and did 
not reach the house till nearly midnight; very 
tired with our day. I am equally so again now, 
Friday night at 11:45, and can just scribble this 
that it may go off early by the Queen's messenger 
and reach you tomorrow, Saturday evening. 

Friday, August 6. The King of Portugal ar- 
rived on a visit to the Queen. He crossed from 
Southampton in the Victoria and Albert. Paid 

217 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

a long visit to the Empress. After Redfem, and 
bathing in the morning, we went to call on Lady 
Burgoyne and the Marquesa de Santurce. Mr. 
Ward and M. de Pourtales, of the French em- 
bassy, were introduced to us, and also the two 
Murietta girls. In the late afternoon we went 
down to the Royal Yacht Squadron Club gar- 
dens, and sat there a little while. Saw the Mu- 
rietta party and the Prince of Wales arriving in 
the launch at the club steps. 

Saturday, August 7. AH went out at ten to 
bathe and afterward to see the King of Portugal 
start in the Alberta. Coming home met Maud 
and Beatrice W., who called on me in the after- 
noon. After tea, the Empress, the girls, Mme. 
de Arcos and I went out in the Queen's largest 
steam launch. We started from Trinity Pier 
and went up the river Medina to Newport 
and back, out in the bay past the Royal Yacht 
Squadron Club and twice around most of the 
pretty yachts. Saw Prince Henry on the 
Leander and the Duke of Connaught in the Al- 
berta's steam launch. Reached shore at the same 
time as they did. 

While out on the water the Empress was 
speaking of the probable marriage between 
Princess May and Prince Victor, the eldest son 
of the Prince of Wales, and the slight jealousy 
that exists between the Duke of Teck and the 

218 



EMPRESS VISITS QUEEN VICTORIA 

Battenbergs. She also quoted the Queen rela- 
tive to the Duke of Albany and his delicate 
health, he having died two years previously. 

Sunday, August 8. In the afternoon we went 
to Egypt House to a reception and tea. Mr. 
and Mrs. Ward were the hosts. Among the 
guests were the Duke and Duchess of Connaught, 
the Marquesa de Santurce and her daughters, 
Lieutenant Carr, Comte de Montalembert, Cap- 
tain Hamilton, Miss Stoner and her brother, Miss 
Agar Ellis, and many others we knew. They 
danced after we left at 6 :30. 

From a letter : 

Santa Maria, English Channel, 

August 9, 1886. 
I had not time to write before starting, but I 
am sure you will like to have a few hues from 
aboard the yacht on which we are passing the 
afternoon. At a quarter to ten we arrived at the 
Royal Yacht Squadron Club, where we were 
met by the party going with us to cruise in the 
Santa Maria, moored close to H. M. S. Osborne. 
You will probably read in the newspapers to- 
morrow all about the festive day at Cowes, and 
will see that the yachts went in procession a good 
way out to sea, the Prince of Wales leading the 
line of sailing yachts in the Aline, and we leading 

219 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

the eight steam yachts. Lady Brassey's Sun- 
beam, about which she wrote such an interesting 
book, was the last in the procession of saihng 
vessels. She passed quite close to us, when we 
were getting into line, so we had a good view of 
her. Just finished an excellent lunch, served on 
deck. It is most interesting to watch the run- 
ning up of the signals. The Prince of Wales is 
constantly signaling messages over to us, to pass 
along to the other yachts. We are having a most 
enjoyable time, but I find it difficult to write 
much, as some one is constantly coming in and 
out of the deck house now. So, I must say 
goodby for the present. 

From a letter : 

Osborne Cottage, 
August 9, 1886. 
Later. We reached the harbor at 7:15 p. m,, 
being the first of the yachts to get in, and were 
home here at eight, just in time to say good eve- 
ning to the Empress before she went to dress 
for her dinner at the castle. Her nieces have 
kept all the news of their interesting day to tell 
her tomorrow. 

I will give you the names of a few of the peo- 
ple who were on board, as you are sure to know 
something about some of them. First there were 
Mr. and Mrs. Rolls, owners of the Santa Maria, 

220 



EMPRESS VISITS QUEEN VICTORIA 

and their three boys and one girl ; Lord Ormond, 
Vice-Commodore of the Royal Yacht Squadron; 
Sir John and Lady Burgoyne ; Mrs. Foster ; Mr. 
Grant, secretary of the Royal Yacht Squadron 
Club; Mrs. and Miss Grant; Mr. Fitzgerald, son 
of Lord Otho; Lady William Lenox; Lady Bar- 
bara Stapleton and Miss Stapleton. Vt^hen you 
receive this the Santa Maria will be well on her 
way to Oban in Scotland. The Rolls are going 
to spend the winter cruising in the Mediter- 
ranean, visiting all the countries in the South. 
How delightful for them! 

From a letter: 

Osborne Cottage, 
August 11, 1886. 

There are various plans afloat for this after- 
noon's amusement. While they are waiting 
around to see if the weather means to clear, I 
have slipped oif to my room to write you a few 
lines. You will not have many more letters from 
here, as we shall surely leave next Saturday 
morning, and which we shall all regret for many 
reasons. During the latter part of our stay we 
have had many delightful yachting expeditions, 
which make up in some degree for the restric- 
tions. 

Yesterday morning we stayed prosaically at 
home, but in the afternoon we had a most amus- 

221 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

ing time. A nephew of the Empress, Count 
Joseph Primoli, whose mother was granddaugh- 
ter of Joseph Bonaparte (Napoleon I's brother) , 
came on a few days' stay and we took him after 
lunch to see AVest Cowes. He is very clever, 
is quite a poet with the most wonderful fund of 
spirits, and made us laugh so much that we were 
quite ashamed of ourselves. He would insist 
upon our all having our photographs taken by 
a traveling tintype man, and we had the greatest 
fun possible on the green, a public walk near the 
sea. Fortunately there were no society people 
about, that early hour of the afternoon, or we 
would have shocked them terribly, — and would 
probably have been reported to and had a repri- 
mand from the Empress — but of excursionists 
there was no lack, and they gathered around and 
were as much diverted as we. We tried to make 
Count Primoli stop his flow of nonsense, but it 
was no use. He thoroughly enjoyed seeing us 
doubled up with laughter, and apparently did not 
mind a bit whether we got into a scrape later or 
not. 

We were just home in time for afternoon tea, 
and later went for a long drive to Ryde and 
back. As the Empress and the Due de Bassano 
had the victoria, and we all went with Mme. 
de Arcos in the open wagonette, our party had 
much the same fun as before. We laughed the 

222 



EMPRESS VISITS QUEEN VICTORIA 

whole way there and back. Count Primoli, 
much to our regret, left for London early this 
morning, after breakfasting with us at 8 :30. He 
quite enlivens the house, and goes on with his 
absurdities quite unabashed by the presence of 
his imperial aunt. 

From a letter: 

Osborne Cottage, 
August 11, 1886. 

11 p. M. Before going to bed I must just fin- 
ish this letter, of which I sent you the first sheet 
early this morning, not having had time to com- 
plete the whole. We had a most enjoyable little 
cmise in the Queen's largest launch this after- 
noon. The party consisted of seven, the Em- 
press, M. and A., Mme. Le Breton, Lady Bur- 
goyne, the Due de Bassano and myself. We 
went across the Solent, and up to Southampton 
Water and the Humble River, nearly as far as 
the point of the same name, getting home about 
8:30 P. M. In the meantime the Due d'Aumale 
and Princess Clementine had arrived on the Al- 
berta for a short visit to the Queen. Of course 
during their stay the Empress will not dine with 
the Queen as the meeting would be awkward for 
them all. Au revoir for the present. 

Their arrival reminds me of the following: 
After the passing of the law which expelled 

223 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

French princes last June from French soil, some 
of the Orleans family asked permission to visit 
the Queen at Windsor, and the Empress, always 
very dehcate in her feeling for others, immedi- 
ately wrote to put off her own expected visit at 
that same date, thinking it might be awkward 
for both the Queen and them. Her Majesty an- 
swered through Princess Beatrice, — "No, by no 
means put off the visit. If any one postpones it, 
it had better be they. The Orleanists are my 
relations, but the Empress is my friend and that 
is much more sacred to me." 

From a letter: 

Osborne Cottage, 
August 12, 1886. 

We leave here on Saturday without fail, so I 
shall just be bidding adieu to the sea as you reach 
it at Brighton. The Prince and Princess of 
Wales, and family, left yesterday on the Osborne 
after having been here to call and take leave of 
the Empress. They put the Aline at her dis- 
posal for the few days which remain. Unfor- 
tunately, I do not think it will be much use to 
us, as there are yachting engagements made al- 
ready for every remaining day. Pity we did not 
get the boat sooner, as the Empress does so en- 
joy a sail; it puts new hfe into her. The Duke 
and Duchess of Connaught also leave here to-day, 

224 




London Stereoscopic Co. 

SURGEON-MAJOR FREDERICK B. SCOTT 



EMPRESS VISITS QUEEN VICTORIA 

and as I see one of the royal carriages at the 
door in front of my window, I suppose they are 
taking their leave now, so I do not know when 
we shall get our luncheon. It is already a quar- 
ter to two and we are all famished. From the 
fourteenth to the seventeenth, on which latter 
date the Queen starts for Edinburgh, she will 
have Osborne Castle all to herself, for all the 
other royalties will have departed by then. 

Thursday, August 12. We remained in all 
the morning. Lady Ely, the Queen's old and 
trusted friend, made a long call. She has also 
been a friend to the Empress ever since the lat- 
ter's girlhood and the Empress expresses the 
greatest affection for her. She is a dear old 
lady; sweet, and dignified old age personified. 

In the afternoon Dr. Tyler with a party 
of thirty came to see the Empress; there were 
Hindoos, Greeks, Malays, etc. The Oriental sal- 
utations and the bright, rich, varied costumes 
made a very unusual sight. At 5 p. m. Mme. Le 
Breton, the girls and I drove to the Parkhurst 
athletic sports and met Prince and Princess 
Henry of Battenberg returning. Nearly 400 
people had lunched there. General Nightmgale 
and Captain Worral of the 93d Highlanders 
were among the officers introduced to us. 

Friday, August 13. Stayed in again all the 
225 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

morning, waiting to see if we were expected to 
go on an expedition or not. All of the party, 
except us three girls, went to call on the Queen. 
In the afternoon we visited H. M. S. Northamp- 
ton in the Queen's steam launch. The ship was 
beautifully decorated with flowers, flags, etc., just 
like a huge ball-room. There were from 300 to 
400 people there, among others Lord Brassey 
and his family, three admirals, some Spanish 
naval officers from a ship in the harbor, but 
strange to say, no royalty whatever. We danced 
and enjoyed ourselves immensely. 

From a letter : 

Famborough Hill, 

Saturday, August 14, 1886. 
I am very glad I followed my instinct, born 
of my knowledge of the Empress's methods, and 
did not stay up writing last night, but packed 
nearly everything instead, for this morning came 
a hasty message to our rooms. We were asked 
to get up, to finish our preparations as quickly 
as possible, and to take a donation from the Em- 
press to the little church here, which is very poor, 
and then to meet her at the Queen's private land- 
ing place punctually at 10 :45. So we had hardly 
time, though we hurried. We were not late, how- 
ever, and even had a few minutes to spare at 

226 



EMPRESS VISITS QUEEN VICTORIA 

Trinity Pier, talking to Major Bigg, Lady Bur- 
goyne and some gentlemen, who had come to see 
us off. When the Empress's carriage arrived, 
we all went aboard the Alberta, whose officers, 
as well as those of the Victoria and Albert, were 
in attendance. We found Prince Henry, too, 
on deck, and he remained talking to the Empress 
till the moment for starting had nearly come, 
then bowed to her, said a few words to us, shook 
hands all round, and went ashore. I regret 
deeply that we were not at Osborne Cottage at 
the general departure, as the Queen and Princess 
Beatrice and several maids of honor came to take 
final leave of the Empress. After a little con- 
versation between the two Majesties and the 
Princess in the drawing-room, the Queen passed 
into the hall, where she shook hands with the Due 
de Bassano and the ladies, and kissed the latter, 
herself handing them into the carriage. She 
asked with astonishment where we three were, 
and expressed regret at our absence. The Em- 
press acknowledged that as only one of her car- 
riages was still at Osborne, she had sent us ahead 
on foot. 

Major Bigg accompanied us to Southampton, 
where a special saloon carriage attached to the 
main train carried us rapidly to our destination. 
At two o'clock we were home at Farnborough, 
finding it all looking very pretty, after an ab- 

227 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

sence of a month. We were not sorry to have 
our luncheon. The Empress and her nieces have 
gone now for a walk around the grounds, but I 
preferred to remain at home. Unfortunately, 
the servants must have missed their boat or train, 
as neither they nor the luggage have yet turned 
up (6:30 p. M.) , and we shall not be able to dress 
for dinner to-night unless they make haste. It 
is delightful to feel we can go about with more 
freedom again. There are some restrictions here, 
it is true, but nothing like those involved by liv- 
ing under Queen Victoria's roof. 

Sunday, August 15. Dr. Scott with Major 
and Mrs. Scott came to tea, and to welcome us 
back to Farnborough. 



228 



PART IV 

LATER E\T:NTS AT FARNBOROUGH HILL 

From a letter: 

Farnborough Hill, 
August 17, 1886. 

On Monday morning the Empress sent word 
she was going shopping in London, and I was to 
accompany her. We lunched at 11:30 and an 
hour later started from home, to which we re- 
turned again at 7 p. m., having spent the inter- 
vening time hovering about from silversmiths to 
glass and china shops, choosing different things 
for the dinner table, and all this in honor of vis- 
itors who arrived from France that very evening. 
They were: Prince Joachim Murat,^ grandson 
of King Murat of Naples who married Napo- 
leon's sister Caroline; Joachim's daughter, 
Princess Eugenie Murat; his sister, Duchesse 
de Mouchy ; ^ and M. Protais, an old artist, ac- 
companied by M. Pietri, who was returning from 
a business trip to Paris. 

1 Joachim Joseph Napoleon, Prince Murat, born in Bordentown, 
N. J., February 21, lS2i; son of Lucien, Prince of Naples. 

2 Formerly Princess Anna Murat, born in Bordentown, N. J., 
February 3, 1841 ; married in Paris, 1865, Antoine de Noailles, Due 
de Mouchy. 

229 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

From a letter: 

Farnborough Hill, 
August 18, 1886. 

I have not had time to send my letter off to- 
day, for directly after luncheon the Empress 
asked me to write some Enghsh letters for her, 
so thanks to a communication to a Parsee in Cen- 
tral India called Nosherwanjee Cowasjee, and 
another to a gentleman at the Cape of Good 
Hope, I was unable to get my own correspond- 
ence done. 

Yesterday Count Sormani, an Italian senator, 
arrived. He is tall and gaunt, with a long 
shaggy gray beard, not very lively, and makes 
no great addition to the party. We now sit 
down twelve every day to luncheon and dinner, 
and tomorrow the Duquesa de Ossuna arrives, 
so until some one of the party departs, the super- 
stitious ones will have a hard time of it, if they 
notice the number. 

Friday, August 20. Lieutenant Carr, one of 
the young naval officers we saw a good deal of at 
Osborne, arrived to make a call and stayed to 
lunch, making thirteen, so A., being the young- 
est of the party, had on account of some foolish 
superstition, to lunch at a small table alone. 
General the Hon. W. Fielding came to call at 
tea time. 

230 



LATER EVENTS 

Tuesday, August 24. The girls went for a 
drive with Mrs. Byrne. Princess Eugenie and 
I took a long walk together and were" joined by 
Dr. Scott. Colonels Wood and Williams called 
at tea time. 

From a letter: 

Famborough Hill, 
August 25, 1886. 

I cannot by any means say it is dull here, as 
the house is full. Still there does not seem to 
be much news to write, as everyone more or less 
remains quietly at home, the girls are busy with 
their English and music, and le monde does not 
appear till lunch time, except when Princess Eu- 
genie comes out for a walk with us at twelve 
o'clock, which is nearly daily the case. 

Lunch is a merry meal, and soon afterward 
we three go off to our petit salon, or the tent if 
it be fine weather, and we are neither seen nor 
heard of until tea time at five. After this we 
are free to take part in whatever is going on. 
Some of the twelve drive, others prefer walking, 
but we three generally like tennis best, and are 
usually joined by Princess Eugenie Murat and 
her father, or some of the other gentlemen. The 
other day when we played it was Princess Eu- 
genie and A. against Prince IMurat and myself. 
Yesterday, besides our own party of twelve, Gen- 

231 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

eral and Mrs. Byrne came to tea and also Dr. 
Scott, his brother the Major, and the latter's 
wife, so we were eighteen in all, — and there was 
plenty to do I assure you, pouring out tea and 
providing all kinds of delicious cakes for that 
number of hungry and thirsty individuals. To- 
night at dinner we shall be a formidable party. 
The poor Empress is quite tired out and annoyed 
that her visitors should all want to come at the 
same time. For months past their dates have 
been conveniently fixed, and now, what with one 
thing and another, and our extra fortnight on the 
Isle of Wight, they have all arrived together — 
and this afternoon three more are coming. 

Princess Murat ^ is a delightful girl, over six 
feet in height, broad generous proportions to 
match, beautiful hair and skin, and a fine intel- 
lectual brow. She is a great deal with us. We 
have just been in her room, — the two gu'ls and 
myself, — where she has been showing us her jew- 
els, etc., which are magnificent. She owns some 
splendid diamonds ai.d emeralds, which come 
from her mother, who was a Princesse de Wa- 
gram. 

1 Eugenie Louise Caroline Zenaide Murat, born in Paris, 1855; 
married June 18, 1887, Paris, to Giuseppe Caracciolo, Duca di 
Lavello. 



232 



LATER EVENTS 

From a letter : 

Farnborough Hill, 
August 27, 1886. 

Our household keeps on increasing daily. We 
sat down fifteen to dinner last night — an Em- 
press, a Prince, a Princess, two Duchesses, two 
Dukes, and a Count — pretty well for one fam- 
ily dinner party. The Due de Mouchy and the 
Duquesa de Ossuna arrived two days ago, and 
the girls' uncle, Don Antonio de Vejarano, last 
night at 8 :30 from Madrid. He will prolong his 
visit to the very last possible extremity, but must 
be in Madrid by the fifteenth of September. 
This morning I have retired into my room to 
write to you and give the girls absolute freedom 
with their uncle. After a year's separation they 
must have much to talk over with him. 

From a letter : 

Farnborough Hill, 
August 28, 1886. 
I have only a very few minutes free, so I must 
hurry. Since I began this I have had some let- 
ters to write for the Empress, and so the post 
went out with only a card instead of a long epis- 
tle. I hope the heat of these last few days has 
not tried you too much. Here even it has been 
very oppressive. 

Yesterday the girls and I went to London. 
233 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

We were sent off to get us out of the way, for 
besides our own very large party there were six 
other people. Among them the Duque de Alva, 
the Empress's nephew, and his wife, the de 
Rivieres and Mgr. Goddard, and the latter I was 
very sorry to miss. They all came to lunch, and 
as it was really too much of a good thing to have 
twenty-one at table besides ourselves, the girls 
benefited by it, to get off on a sight-seeing trip 
to the metropolis. We visited the Tower, St. 
Paul's, and South Kensington INIuseum, where 
we lunched. Then we went to the Oratory, and 
back to Waterloo Station, taking in Westmin- 
ster Abbey on our way, where we specially en- 
joyed the old cloisters and their adjoining pic- 
turesque courtyards. 

At Waterloo Station we met the Due and 
Duchesse de Mouchy and Princess Eugenie, who 
were returning from lunching with Lady Hol- 
land at Holland House, and we all traveled 
homeward together. We did not lose a minute 
of that day, and the girls enjoyed all they saw 
very much, but we were terribly tired, and pleas- 
ant and bright though the evenings now are, we 
could hardly keep our eyes open till eleven 
o'clock, when the Empress retired and we three 
also. On leaving the room this evening the Em- 
press made a most wonderful courtesy, which 
we had never seen before, but had heard about in 

234 



LATER EVENTS 

connection with Tuileries days. It was half a 
bow and half a courtesy, full of ease, and grace- 
ful in the extreme, and though addressed to the 
whole room, had the quality of seeming to take 
in personally each individual. 

The Due de Mouchy is a born musician, and 
plaj^s by ear with very good chords and harmon- 
ies anything in the operatic line, and almost every 
other well-known air, and all this without having 
learnt one note of music. Besides the Due's 
playing and mine, there are all sorts of parties 
de cartes going on, everybody being scattered 
about in groups, doing what they each like best. 
No one seems willing to leave Farnborough; 
those who came for a few days only are staying 
on, and on! 

The Duquesa de Ossuna belongs to Queen 
Christina's royal household in Madrid. She has 
been a great beauty and is still young, elegant 
and amiable. If alone, we should probably be 
enraptured with her, but surrounded as she is 
by such a gathering of exceptionally interesting 
people as the others are, her own charm pales 
somewhat. Before the Duquesa arrived, the 
Empress told us, in speaking of her, about the 
origin of the family name, Giron, which in Span- 
ish means rag. It came from an ancestor who 
in the melee of battle saved the king's life and 
gave him his own horse to replace the fallen one. 

235 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

In the scuffle he accidentally tore off a piece of 
the king's cloak. Instead of throwing it away, 
he carefully kept it. The next day there were a 
hundred claimants to the honor of having saved 
the king's life. Whereupon, our astute hero 
begged leave to inquire of the king if his cloak 
was intact, and if not he suggested they should 
settle the conflicting claims by trj^ing to find 
the man who possessed the missing piece. Both 
his valor and quick mind were in consequence, I 
understand, amply rewarded, and honors show- 
ered upon him. 

Talking at luncheon one day about the little 
King of Spain, the Duquesa told us that the 
day of his birth the Infanta, his sister, asked what 
the baby's name was to be. When they answered 
that perhaps it would be Fernando she said 
quickly: "Oh no, if papa reaUy sent him he 
must be named Alfonso." 

The Duquesa told us, also, that by good luck 
it was her turn the particular week of his birth 
to be de service at the palace, and as such had by 
law to be a witness of the royal child's arrival, 
so she was the first of his subjects to see him, 
an honor which she much appreciated. She told 
us it was a Spanish custom, when the royal in- 
fant was twenty-four hours old, to put him in a 
kind of silver basket warmly wadded, which, car- 
ried out by one of the dignitaries to some high 

236 



LATER EVENTS 

steps (either of the palace or cathedral), was 
raised up in the sight of all the people, and the 
covering lifted for a moment. She continued 
with many interesting traits about his peasant 
wet-nurse, the fuss and ceremony inv^olved in 
choosing her from among so many aspirants to 
the honor, and what a great personage she thinks 
herself now. We also heard about her trous- 
seau and her life, with its privileges and restric- 
tions in the royal nursery of Spain. 

The Duchesse de Mouchy is simply perfect, 
and so pretty, graceful and witty, — and so young 
looking though she has a grown-up son. She 
has quite won our hearts and so too has the Prin- 
cess Eugenie Murat, her niece. The trefle 
which the Duchesse de Mouchy always wears 
now, no matter what the dress or the hour, was 
one which had been the first gift of the Emperor 
Napoleon III to the Empress. She got it be- 
fore they were engaged, at a little lottery for the 
guests of a house party staying at St. Cloud. 
Louis Napoleon was at the time already desper- 
ately in love with her, and the Empress herself 
says that with his connivance they rather helped 
her to win the beautiful prize, a handsome trefoil 
of emeralds and diamonds, which she always re- 
garded as her engagement gift and as a kind of 
mascot. Invariably during her years of sover- 
eignty she wore it somewhere about her clothing, 

237 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

and up till June, 1879, it never left her person, 
even at night. When the news of her son's death 
reached her she took off the jewel, put it away 
and later on gave it to her favorite niece, with 
the request that she wear it for her sake as long 
as she lived. This wish Mme. de IMouchy was 
carrying out when she came to Farnborough, 
and the Empress herself pointed the trefle out 
to me one evening, and requested the Duchess to 
unfasten it and to put it in my hand for examina- 
tion while telling me its history. 

The men of the party are such thorough gen- 
tlemen, — all so friendly and at ease together. I 
must say I prefer foreign to stiff Enghsh so- 
ciety. 

When the Empress presented me the first eve- 
ning to the Murats she did it very nicely. After 
naming me, she said, "Joachim, this is the grand- 
daughter of Colonel Macirone who served your 
grandfather so faithfully." This fact seemed to 
strike him very much, and may possibly have in- 
fluenced them in the interest they took in me. 
Nothing could have been kinder than they were 
the whole of their stay in Farnborough, and later 
on in Paris, I counted both father and daughter 
among my best friends there. 

My maternal grandfather. Colonel Francis 
Macirone, was born in Manchester in 1788, of an 

238 



LATER EVENTS 

English mother and Itahan father. His mother 
died in 1800, and in 1803 he was sent to Rome 
with letters of credit on Paris, Genoa and Flor- 
ence, at the early age of fifteen, to live with his 
uncle George, then postmaster-general to Pius 
VI. I now continue in my grandfather's own 
words : 

"Soon after the occupation of Naples by the 
French in 1805, I was preparing to return to 
England and had actually obtained my passport, 
when in consequence of the noted decree of Ber- 
hn, I was constituted a prisoner of war, and de- 
tained as such in that country nearly seven years 
(on parole)." 

During those years he became acquainted with 
members of the Neapolitan court and the royal 
family, and in King Joachim's hour of need be- 
came one of his staunch friends. Already he had 
been on an embassy to the Emperor of Austria 
to beg an asylum in his country for the hunted 
and dethroned Joachim and his family, and was 
actually on his way to England to seek further 
help from the Prince Regent of England, when 
he was arrested at the instigation of the infamous 
Marquis de Riviere at Marseilles. After several 
weeks in a Marseilles dungeon and much mental 
and physical suffering, he was escorted to Paris, 
the Marquis' secretary having first brutally an- 

239 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

nounced to him the assassination of the brave 
King Murat/ 

Arrived at the capital, he was immediately re- 
arrested by Des Cazes and confined au secret 
in the Conciergerie and at the Abbaye prisons. 
All his diplomatic papers and valuables, includ- 
ing a bill from King Joachim for 40,000 francs 
on a Paris bank, his personal effects, arms, etc., 
were confiscated, and only his carriage was re- 
turned to him later. Except for his ingenious 
expedient of letting his faithful valet in Paris 
know his whereabouts, he might never have got 
out alive. His servant informed Sir Charles 
Stuart, the English ambassador, of his master's 
plight, and soon after the Colonel was released. 

His own account of the part he took in the 
capitulation of Paris in 1815, his hair-breadth 
escapes, and his interviews with Murat, Napo- 
leon, Wellington, Bliicher, IVIetternich, Fouche, 
Talleyrand, Carnot and many other celebrities, 
being all told in a book pubhshed by him in 
1817,^ are well worth reading by all lovers of 
history, and ought to be especially interesting 
to his descendants. These incidents of several 
generations back made my meeting with descend- 
ants of King Murat of additional interest to me. 

1 Shot at Chateau de Pizzo in Calabria, October 13, 1815. 

2 "Interesting Facts Relating to the Fall and Death of Joachim 
Murat, King of Naples." 

240 



LATER EVENTS 

From a letter : 

Farnborough Hill, 

Saturday, August 28, 1886. 
M. de Varu, a French military attache, lunched 
here. After dinner, when we were sitting in the 
drawing-room, the Empress read us a long inter- 
esting letter addressed by Prince Alexander of 
Battenberg to the Queen, giving her the details 
of the shameful way he had been treated. Prince 
Alexander (the King of Bulgaria) describes 
very graphically in this account how soldiers with 
fixed bayonets forced him at night out of his bed- 
room and down the back stairs. They tried by 
threats to make him sign an abdication, which 
they hastily wrote out for him in pencil on a leaf 
torn out of the Visitors' Book in the hall. They 
roughly took away his uniform and gave him 
peasant's clothes. They were glad to do any- 
thing that could make him look ridiculous and 
humiliate him. Prince Alexander wrote that 
afterward on the Russian frontier he was left 
alone locked in his railway carriage for many 
hours without any food, and as a refinement of 
cruelty they obliged him to keep a light burning 
brightly in the carriage and the blinds up, so that 
all might see him. For two hours he remained 
thus in the station with a seething mob hooting 
and jeering at him. He was not allowed to pro- 

241 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

tect himself by pulling down the blinds, and so 
securing privacy for himself. 

The Empress asked us not speak of his let- 
ter for the present outside the Farnborough cir- 
cle, the Queen having sent it to her for private 
perusal, and she was not authorized to make it 
public, though she felt justified in reading it 
aloud to the guests in her house. 

Sunday, August 29. Added to the usual Sun- 
day party at tea was a young Catholic officer 
named Staunton, who had been one of those 
deputed to receive the Empress at the church 
door in the morning. 

The Empress, who dislikes to see people wear- 
ing showy jewels (or those using perfumes) said 
one day at lunch to her niece, Mme. de Mouchy, 
who always wore large handsome pearls in each 
ear, that she thought it very foolish of her not to 
take them off in traveling and on long walks 
alone in the mountains of Switzerland, and added 
that she thought it was inviting robbery, and 
that some day she would be attacked for the sake 
of the jewels. 

Mme. de Mouchy laughed at her aunt's fears. 
Soon after she retm'ned to Paris. Before she 
had been gone more than three weeks, she wrote 
saying that her aunt's words had actually come 
true. During a drive in the Bois de Boulogne 

242 



LATER EVENTS 

in Paris she had got out to walk a Httle, her car- 
riage following, and in a by-path two men had 
sprung out on her, snatched at her earrings and 
would have succeeded in tearing them from her 
ears, had not a passing friend by good luck seen 
the assault and with his uplifted stick put the 
robbers to flight. 

From a letter : 

Farnborough Hill, 
August 30, 1886. 

The visitors remain the same and do not seem 
at all in a hurry to leave, and as I have said a 
few words about each of them, there is no more 
at present. They are all amiable and pleasant 
to get on with, and I shall be very sorry indeed 
when the party breaks up. 

Talking of robbers and burglars one day with 
Mme. de Mouchy, here are two stories she re- 
lated. The first was about an acquaintance of 
hers in Paris, a young woman who was suffering 
from an attack of rheumatism, which kept her in 
bed and unable to move. She was under good 
doctors, but had no regular trained nurse, and 
therefore advertised for a ladies' maid, — "a 
strong healthy woman capable of lifting a rather 
heavy invalid." A few days after a very buxom 
maiden appeared, neat, cheerful, healthy-looking 
and rosy, to whom she took a great fancy and 

243 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

who lifted her with the greatest ease, adding much 
to her comfort. One day she rang her bell, and 
on inquiry found her invaluable maid had gone 
out, — a most unusual thing. A few minutes 
afterward, there was loud knocking at her front 
door and a police agent asked to see the mistress 
of the house, and told her he had come there to 
arrest a man. She protested there was no man, 
but he was equally sure there was, and informed 

her that , an escaped convict, had been traced 

to her house, and that the clue ceased there. It 
appears that the prisoner, on gettnig out of jail, 
saw the invalid's advertisement, disguised him- 
self and obtained the position, which he kept six 
weeks, living in the meantime in perfect security 
from detection. At last some slight imprudence 
on his part put the police on the scent, and he 
was traced to the invalid's house, much to her con- 
sternation. He had, however, departed for good. 
The other story was about Marchandon, the 
Parisian, who murdered in a most barbarous way 
the aged lady he was serving as butler. At- 
tracted by the renown of her jewels, he had tried, 
the Duchess said, to get into the house as foot- 
man, and only a certain instinct against him 
prevented her engaging him, — for he came well 
recommended, — when he presented himself to fill 
the vacancy in her household. She had reason 
to congratulate herself on the escape, for soon 

244 



LATER EVENTS 

after the terrible murder with its gruesome de- 
tails took place, and made all Paris shudder. 
She herself would probably have been the victim 
instead of the old lady, had she taken Marchan- 
don into her service. 

Tuesday, August 31. After dinner Princess 
Eugenie, the girls and myself went for a walk on 
the terrace. I had a very unexpected fall and 
spent a sleepless night in consequence, my head, 
foot and back hurt me so. 

From a letter: 

Farnborough Hill, 
September 3, 1886. 

I have your letter this morning and have 
hardly more news to send you than you have to 
give me. Till Tuesday morning everything went 
as usual, and then there was a change in our 
party. On Wednesday, the first, while several 
of the gentlemen were starting out for their first 
partridge shooting. Count Sormani was taking 
his leave of Farnborough to return home to Ven- 
ice, and this morning very early, to our great 
regret. Prince Murat left with his daughter and 
M. Protais. She is so very nice, has been such 
a companion to us, and has been so kind to me 
especially, that I shall miss her very much. She 
would not say adieu but only au revoir. 

245 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

The girls and their uncle will most likely be 
leaving for Madrid about the twelfth, and are 
already beginning to think about packing. I 
can hardly believe it. How these months have 
flown! I shall remember them all my life 
through, and what interest I shall now take in 
people and places which until my stay here 
would have been unknown to me ! The girls will 
be very sorry to leave, though M. thinks there is 
no place half so nice in the world as Madrid. A. 
on the other hand, who hates society and loves the 
freedom of country life, says that, once the joy 
of seeing her friends in Madrid is over, she can- 
not think what will become of her, shut up closely 
in the town nearly all the year round. They 
wish very much that I were going home with 
them, and so do I. 

From a letter : 

Farnborough Hill, 
September 4, 1886. 
It has been so much cooler here these last two 
days, and I hope it has been the same with you, 
as the heat tries you both so much. I have not 
felt it at all, as I have been very quiet indeed 
these last three days. Do not be alarmed; it is 
nothing at all, — a slight sprain. Only as a meas- 
ure of precaution. Dr. Scott, who is constantly 
at Farnborough and now comes in very handy, 

246 



LATER EVENTS 

thought I had better keep my foot quiet and not 
walk up and down stairs for a few days. It does 
not pain me now, and I can move about my room 
a httle, though feehng rather stiff from the 
bruises I got, and also from lack of my usual 
exercise. I will tell you how it happened : 

Could you have seen me without being star- 
tled, — as I was, — you would have laughed with 
me at the commotion I caused in the house. It 
might have been very serious, but as it turned 
out it was nothing, though I got a great deal of 
sympathy and attention ; so much so, that I really 
felt quite ashamed of myself for falling down as 
I did. Princess Eugenie, the girls and I, had 
gone out on Tuesday the 31st at the Empress's 
suggestion, it being a lovely moonhght night, 
for a little walk on the terrace which runs around 
the house. The other ladies were mostly in the 
drawing-room and the gentlemen in the billiard 
room, the lights and open windows of which at- 
tracted us. We went up to the window to see 
what was going on. We were all in a frohcking 
mood and ready for a joke, and thought it would 
be fun to call out all together from the different 
windows at which we had stationed ourselves 
while looking in. Under the window which I 
had chosen was the opening into the cellar, of 
which we knew nothing. I rested my hands on 
the window sill and before I had time even to 

247 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

scream, my feet were in space and I had disap- 
peared down into this hole. It was done in the 
twinkling of an eye, and still I had time to rea- 
son out that I was falling, — as I thought, — 
into some disused well and that in a moment I 
should strike the water, make a splash and be 
drowned. Many years of my life, and thoughts 
about those I was leaving behind, were able to 
crowd into my mind in that incredibly short num- 
ber of seconds. 

I was dragged out by main force by the Prin- 
cess and one of the men-servants, who was first 
to arrive on the scene, all three girls calling out 
lustily and concluding from my absolute silence 
that I must be dead. By the time I was landed 
on the terrace, had somewhat resumed my scat- 
tered wits and grasped the idea that I had had 
a bad fall, all the gentlemen had run out of the 
house and were standing around. Without ask- 
ing "by your leave" I was picked off my feet hke 
a baby and carried the nearest way into the house 
by Prince Murat, where all the servants were 
assembled. Then the ladies came flocking out 
of the drawing-room to inquire, condole, sympa- 
thize and report the exact state of things to the 
Empress. 

When I had been made to swallow a glass of 
brandy and water by practical Mme. Le Breton, 
had had a cut on my wrist attended to, and doz- 

24.8 



LATER EVENTS 

ens of handkerchiefs and much advice offered, I 
was escorted by the whole troop back to the draw- 
ing-room, where the Empress was anxiously 
waiting with a face that rivaled all the others 
in interest and alarm. After she was satisfied 
that I was more frightened than hurt, I was es- 
corted to bed, the girls coming with me and help- 
ing me up the stairs, with Princess Eugenie fol- 
lowing. When in bed, she insisted upon bathing 
and bandaging my poor foot with improvised 
bandages, for it had doubled under me when 
I fell, and later swelled up. It was half-past 
twelve before my room was quiet, for every min- 
ute maids and visitors were coming to my door 
to inquire and offer services. The next morn- 
ing before ten o'clock I had visits from nearly 
the whole household, including the Empress, who 
brought Dr. Scott with her. 

The following day of my imprisonment the 
Princess, thinking it too hot on my side of the 
house, very simply, and with her gigantic height 
and strength, and perfect good nature, gathered 
me up in her arms as if I had been a feather 
weight, and carried me down to her room. There 
she read to me, showed me her jewels and did 
everything she could think of to distract and 
amuse me. The Empress came later to make a 
little call, after which Prince Murat came in and 
told me he was a mes ordres when I wanted to 

249 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

be carried back again. Instead, I was carried 
downstairs by him to dinner. 

P. S. The Empress and the whole party have 
just been under my window calhng up to ask 
news of me, and inquiring if I am going to be 
allowed downstairs this afternoon. 

Monday, September 6. The Duquesa de Os- 
suna left for Spain. The girls went on General 
Byrne's coach to the ruins of Waverley; so sorry 
I could not go with them. The Duque and 
Duquesa de Alva dined here. 

Tuesday, September 7. The Archduke of 
Austria and his aid-de-camp came to pay a visit 
to the Empress. I saw them several times from 
my sofa by the window. 

From a letter: 

Farnborough Hill, 
September 7, 1886. 
There is really very little news to give you, ex- 
cept that Dr. Scott has promised me I may go 
down this afternoon. Should he, however, think 
it more prudent for me still to wait one more 
day before walking down three flights of stairs, 
the Empress, who paid me a nice little visit this 
morning, will have me carried down, for feeling 
as well as I do, it must be, she says, in spite of 

250 



LATER EVENTS 

visitors too dull in my room. Yesterday morn- 
ing I already had a most delightful and affection- 
ate letter from Princess Eugenie. 

From a letter: 

Farnborough Hill, 
September 9, 1886. 

Post time went by while chatting with Mme. 
de Arcos, who lunched here today, and so I have, 
I am afraid, lost all chance of letting you have 
yDur usual letter tomorrow. Before dressing 
for dinner (I am glad to say I am going down) 
I must write you a few lines to welcome you back 
to London. 

The Empress met me on the stairs as I was 
hopping down, leaning on the banisters, and 
though Dr. Scott said it would not hurt me in 
the least to walk down carefully, she insisted upon 
my finishing the rest of the journey seated in a 
hall chair, carried by M. Pietri, who was uncere- 
moniously pressed into service assisted by one of 
the valets standing by. Quite an ovation was 
given me when I got to the table and they drank 
my health in champagne, a very unusual bever- 
age here. Really, every one is wonderfully kind, 
and I cannot help being grateful for it all, in- 
cluding the pleasant months I have spent here. 

I cannot believe the girls are really going on 
Saturday. I shall feel so lost without them, and 

251 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

they seem almost as reluctant as I to say goodby, 
but I hope we shall meet again some day. If 
ever I go to Spain, there is a warm invitation 
awaiting me to stay at Calle Sacremento in Ma- 
drid. How I should enjoy it. I have written 
to H., asking if you can arrange to let her spend 
the afternoon of Saturday with the girls in Lon- 
don. Their uncle has promised me not to let 
her get over-tired and to see that she is sent safely 
home long before they themselves start on the 
evening train for Paris. 

Friday, September 10. The girls' last expedi- 
tion on General Byrne's coach. They went to 
Aldershot, where they bought presents and sou- 
venirs to take home. Dr. Scott came to dinner 
and spent the evening. 

Saturday, September 11. At 10:30 M. and 
A., and their uncle, went to the station accom- 
panied by the Empress and Mme. Le Bretoi*. 
Dr. Scott was to meet them at Woking Junc- 
tion, and H. at the Charing Cross Hotel at 3 
p. M. Quite a sad parting. The Empress was 
most kind, and especially affectionate to me all 
day and at dinner, but it did not prevent our 
spending a rather quiet and dull evening, and I 
was glad when bed time arrived. 

252 



LATER EVENTS 

From a letter : 

Farnborough Hill, 
September 14, 1886. 

Very glad H. was able to see M. and A., as it 
was a mutual pleasure ; a pity though it was Sat- 
urday, for when everything is shut up, London 
looks so dismal. As they seem to have amused 
themselves all the same, it does not matter. I 
had an account of the afternoon from Dr. Scott 
on Sunday, when he came to give the Empress 
the last news of her nieces, and at the same time 
to see if my foot was gaining in strength. 

Tuesday, September 14. Dr. Scott turned up 
very late, — at seven o'clock, having been until 
that hour at a field day. The Empress asked 
him to stay to dinner, which he did. His efforts 
at French are most amusing, and he is quite un- 
embarrassed at the choice of the wrong word, 
and pleasantly uses any one which happens to 
come into his head. 

From a letter: 

Farnborough Hill, 
September 17, 1886. 
The Empress spent Wednesday in London. 
She had promised to meet her niece, Mme. de 
Mouchy, now staying with Lady Holland, and 
go with her to the Colonial Exhibition. There, 
the Empress's party, — the Due and Duchesse de 

253 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

Mouchj^, the Due de Bassano, Mme. Le Breton 
and M. Pietri, — were met by chance by the 
Duchess of Teck, who was lionizing her sister 
the Grand-Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strehtz and 
her children, — so the party was a large one. On 
leaving the Exhibition they all went to Lady 
Holland's, where those who did not already know 
the old historic house were shown over it, and 
were delighted at its quaintness, its dignity, and 
the treasures it contains. Before leaving, the 
Grand-Duchess said to the Empress, "You are 
going, of course, to see my mother, are you not?" 
So the Empress felt obliged after this leading 
question, tired as she was, to drag herself off to 
Kensington Palace to see the old Duchess of 
Cambridge (she was ninety her last birthday). 
They were home here at 8 p. m., the Empress 
quite done up. 

I certainly should not have failed to be one 
of the party, had it not been for my wretched 
sprain. Dr. Scott came to see me and after 
painting my foot with iodine, had tea and spent 
the rest of the afternoon with me. 

Yesterday evening M. Rainbeaux, who was 
here previously in June and took so many pho- 
tographs, arrived on a second visit, this time with 
his wife ^ and Felix, a son of about nineteen, — 

1 Daughter of M. Mocquart, banker, and secretary to Napoleon 
III. 

254 



LATER EVENTS 

and to-night a M. and Mme. Duruy, and Victor, 
their little boy of twelve, reached Farnborough. 
Today the dear Duchesse de Mouchy and her 
husband came to take final leave of the Empress, 
and to accompany the Grand-Duchess who 
lunched here. They leave Lady Holland's for 
Paris tomorrow morning. It seems strange to 
have had granddaughters of George III under 
the same roof as myself. A very close link with 
the far off past. 

I have already had a long affectionate letter 
in Spanish from M., which gave me great pleas- 
ure. 

From a letter : 

Farnborough Hill, 
September 22, 1886. 

As strangers are coming to lunch, among 
others a brother of Count Joseph Primoli, our 
Cowes friend, and I shall very likely not be able 
to write before post time, I send you now these 
few lines scribbled hastily, that you may not be 
disappointed in case I have not time for more. 
Our party continues the same, serious and inter- 
esting, but not so full of entrain as when Mme. 
de Mouchy was here. The King of Portugal 
was to have lunched with us on Monday, but un- 
fortunately, the Duchess of Teck had invited the 

255 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

Empress to go and pay a visit at White Lodge, 
Richmond; and since on a previous occasion it 
had been necessary for H. I. M. to decline some 
invitation of the Duchess's, and there had been 
a misunderstanding and some offense taken in 
consequence, the Empress felt obliged to sacri- 
fice the King this time. It was a very awkward 
affair all around, and I personally was extremely 
sorry, for I should have liked to meet his Portu- 
guese Majesty, although according to the Em- 
press he is exceptionally plain. 

Yesterday Sir James Lacaita, another savant, 
took his mid-day meal here, so the conversation 
at table was of a very serious nature. I send 
you Princess Eugenie's nice letter of yesterday. 
Please return it when read. 

From a letter: 

Farnborougli Hill, 
September 25, 1886. 
I am hurrying to finish this before going down 
for lunch, to which the Prince de Wagram, ma- 
ternal uncle of Princess Eugenie Murat, is com- 
ing. The Duruys left this morning; they are a 
very gifted family. He is an ancien ministre 
d'histruction sous VEmpire, belongs to the Acad- 
emic Fran^aise, and is a member of I'lnstitut de 
France and of the Academic des Beaux Arts, — 
in fact a very distinguished man all round, who 

256 



LATER EVENTS 

is now completing an illustrated history of an- 
cient Greece he has been working on for these 
last twenty years. He is well known already 
by his history of France. His wife was formerly 
Mile. Redel, governess to the daughters of the 
Duchesse d'Albe, and in that capacity well known 
to the Empress. She helps her husband with his 
writing and so do his two grown up sons, one of 
whom, Georges, has quite a reputation as a novel- 
ist. The Duruys will be a nice addition to the 
Parisian friends I have made. I have invitations 
from all the visitors here, to go and see them 
whenever I can. 

Dr. Scott who came to see us yesterday, 
pleased with the wonderful improvement in my 
foot during the last few days, has given me leave 
to do anything in moderation now, provided I 
guard against fresh sprains by keeping on the 
bandages for some time to come. I do hope I 
may be able to get to the Colonial Exhibition 
some day now, as I think the Rainbeaux will go 
again before the closing day. 

Sunday, September 19. The regular Sunday 
party for afternoon tea, with the addition of Sir 
Algernon and Lady Bothwick and daughter. 

Conversation after dinner, as was quite usual, 
drifted to the past, and included eventually the 
Orsini attentat of January, 1858. The Empress 

257 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

told us that they (the imperial party) were one 
night on then* way to the Opera House, then in 
rue Lepelletier, when all at once there was a ter- 
rific rending noise, and the carriage suddenly 
halted with a jerk that threw the occupants out 
of their seats, while injuring the coachman and 
killing the horses. Then came a second terrify- 
ing report. After the third bomb exploded they 
were left in absolute darkness, which added very 
much to the horror of the experience. The con- 
cussion had been so great it had put out all the 
lights in the street. The cries of the frightened 
people and the wounded, the rearing and neigh- 
ing of frantic horses, was succeeded by a silence 
de mort. They all held their breath, expecting 
another explosion, and thinking their end had 
surely come. The first terrible shock over, a 
man stepped forward to open the carriage door, 
and the Emperor following his first impulse, and 
thinking him probably an assassin, dealt him a 
terrible blow on the head which felled him to the 
ground. The suspect later proved to be an 
anxious and friendly official come to the res- 
cue, and the Emperor fully made it up to him 
afterward for the very natural but awkward mis- 
take. As there were no more explosions the im- 
perial couple thought they had better keep to 
their original plan, and go into the Opera House, 
and by showing themselves reassure the public, 

258 



LATER EVENTS 

then in danger of a panic. To do so they had to 
step over the wounded and dead bodies strewn 
about. When the Empress finally entered her 
box and stood there bowing, and feeling more 
dead than alive, everybody rose and gave her a 
warm ovation. Noticing the glances of the peo- 
ple fastened persistently on her, she looked down 
and saw the front of her satin gown covered with 
blood, the result of a tiny cut on her cheek which 
in the excitement she had not even felt, but which 
was responsible for the stain. To quiet the peo- 
ple's anxiety for their sovereign an announce- 
ment had to be made from the stage, stating that 
she was not seriously injured. Then, till mes- 
sengers were despatched and had returned, came 
the hardest part of the evening to bear, — to sit 
through the play in suspense, dreading lest some 
attack might have been attempted against her 
little two year old son at home in the Tuileries. 
At the end of her narrative the Empress added: 
*'Je ne nie pas que j 'avals tres peur; le bruit, 
I'obscurite, I'incertitude, les cris et les gemisse- 
ments des blesses; la vue des cadavres tout au- 
tour; la voiture traversee; et le chapeau de I'Em- 
pereur crible de trous, — tout cela etait epouvan- 
table. L'Empereur a montre un sang-froid ad- 
mirable, et moi, tout en ayant aff reusement peur, 
j'ai passe (comme du rests je I'ai fait toute ma 
vie) , pour avoir un courage extraordinaire I En 

259 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

apparence, j 'avals la peur la plus digne qu'il fut 
possible d'avoir, car j 'avals trop peur pour crier, 
et trop peur pour bouger, — j'etais paralisee, — 
et alors on croyalt que j'etais completement in- 
differente et que cela ne me falsalt absolument 
rien!"^ 

She only reached home and her son after mid- 
night, and then had to hold a reception for grate- 
ful subjects. 

Saturday, September 25. General Fielding, 
Earl Denbigh's brother, came to take his final 
leave of the Empress before his departure from 
Aldershot. He had tea with us on the terrace. 

From a letter: 

Farnborough Hill, 
September 28, 1886. 
I hope you will not expect me to-day, as I 
have been persuaded, much against my inclina- 
tion, not to join the Exhibition party. On ac- 

1 " I do not deny that I was very frightened ; the noise, the dark- 
ness, the uncertainty, the cries and groans of the wounded, the 
sight of the corpses strewn around; the carriage and the Emperor's 
hat riddled with holes — all that was terrifying. The Emperor 
was admirably calm, and I, though fearfully frightened, appeared 
(as indeed I have done all my life) to have wonderful courage. I 
had on the surface the most dignified fear it is possible to have, 
for I was too frightened to scream, too frightened to move, — I was 
paralyzed, — and so people thought I was completely indiflferent 
and that the s^ff&iT had absolutely no eflfect upon me." 

260 



LATER EVENTS 

count of the departing Indians the crowd will be 
very great, and though I can now walk quite well 
on level ground with a stick, everyone thinks it 
would be foolish for me to attempt the expedi- 
tion. Dr. Tyler wrote, very kindly offering to 
have a bath chair at the main entrance for me, 
but I don't like to accept and take up his time 
on this, his last day in England. They sail for 
Bombay Thursday. So I have decided to give 
up the trip altogether, great also as is my disap- 
pointment in not seeing you. 

But my visit to you need only be postponed a 
little, I hope. I have a plan for next week. 
When Mme. de Mouchy was here and they all 
went with the Empress to visit Lady Holland, 
I told the former how sorry I was to have missed 
my opportunity of seeing the old historic house. 
She agreed to speak to Mr. Lane, the steward, 
and get me permission to visit it when in London. 
The place will not be dismantled for another fort- 
night, he writes, and I have only to name the day 
and hour, and he will be ready to show me over 
everything. Now, this is what I propose: when 
the visitors have left, I hope to go to London and 
take H. and some other friend to visit Holland 
House, and then spend the remainder of the day 
with you. M. Rainbeaux has given me two 
photographs of this house; that is all he has to 

261 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

spare at present but he has plenty in Paris, and 
has promised me a copy of each one in which I 
appear. 

The other day, the Empress who never would, 
so far, allow herself to be included in any of the 
groups, gave her consent, and in a moment M. 
Rainbeaux had taken two instantaneous pictures 
before she could change her mind. Unfortu- 
nately, I was not on the spot at the time, so I 
shall have no claim on these, but I think one may 
be given me all the same, as our amateur pho- 
tographer is generous and good natured, as well 
as clever. 

Yesterday we had his excellency the Portu- 
guese minister, M. D'Antas, and M. le Baron de 
Varu to lunch, and in the afternoon aiTived the 
Duque de Alva, whom I missed a fortnight ago, 
and also his wife, because of my sprain. I can- 
not say much for his personal appearance; small 
and thin and with a nervous tic, he is not at all 
what one would imagine a Spanish grandee of 
the first class, and a descendant of so great a 
man as the famous warrior, would be like. But 
he is kindly and sociable, and during a drive we 
took together this afternoon in the dogcart (the 
Empress and others being in the landau and vic- 
toria) we got along splendidly. He told me 
many interesting incidents of his childhood dur- 
ing the war, besides a good deal about people in 

262 



LATER EVENTS 

Madrid I know by name through M. and A., 
so the drive was quite a pleasant one. In the in- 
terest of our conversation he forgot his nervous 
eccentricities for the time being. 

He has all sorts of queer tricks and manner- 
isms which he practises when he thinks himself 
unobserved, and at which the Empress laughs 
unmercifully, hoping thereby to shame him out 
of them. I noticed one day that he dropped his 
napkin at table and stooped to pick it up; this 
happened not only once, but several times during 
the meal. After dinner, the Empress talking 
to us about her guest, explained this queer habit. 
He feels that he must during the meal touch his 
knee at least once to the ground. If he is pre- 
vented from doing it, he seems miserably pre- 
occupied and will not eat, so he makes a regular 
practice now of dropping his napkin at once, and 
in picking it up slips his knee to the floor, and is 
thus contented. He always tries also to touch 
with the soles of his feet the lintels of any door 
he passes through. 

I noticed how cleverly when going into dinner 
he made conversation, or slight pauses in the 
doorway, until he could accomplish his end and 
properly step on the hntel. The Empress, whose 
arm he had, hurried him along, and said laugh- 
ingly, "Now, Carlos, I know wjiat you are doing, 
— come along, we can't wait for you." 

263 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

Talking one day of plucky and coui-ageous 
acts, the Empress told us several anecdotes and 
among others one about her sister, the Duquesa 
de Alva, — anecdotes which I think come in ap- 
propriately here. She and her husband were liv- 
ing in Madrid, in the Palacio Alva, then one of 
the most beautiful of the old palaces, and now, 
since its skilful and artistic restoration, quite the 
most beautiful, the Empress says. 

In the evenings, following the Spanish custom, 
they often went to the different Tertulias. It 
happened one night, when they had been play- 
ing cards, that the Duchess went home with her 
maid at a somewhat earlier hour than usual, leav- 
ing the Duke behind. She entered the palace 
with her woman, crossed the numerous uninhab- 
ited suites of rooms in the huge building, and 
entered her bedroom, locking in herself and her 
maid as she always did at night, if her husband 
had not returned with her. While undressing 
she accidentally dropped something and stooped 
to pick it up. In so doing she thought she no- 
ticed something unusual under the bed, but paid 
little attention at first. She felt impelled, how- 
ever, to look again and this time she distinctly 
saw two eyes glistening. The fact suddenly 
dawned upon her that some one was there, but 
her presence of mind made her realize at once 
that she must not appear to have seen anything. 

264. 



LATER EVENTS 

So with extraordinary self-control she quietly 
went on undressing. Her first aim was to pre- 
vent her maid's suspecting that there was any- 
thing wrong; the girl would, she argued to her- 
self, in all probability scream, and disaster might 
follow. Her second aim was to obtain aid, and 
that immediately. She thought hard for a min- 
ute as to what she could do, undressing leisurely 
all the time, and soon her plan of action was 
evolved. She began casually telling her maid 
about the evening she had spent, and how pleas- 
ant it had been. She explained also that she had 
played cards and been in luck, and won quite a 
large sum of money. Then seeming suddenly to 
remember that she had left her purse behind, and 
simulating great concern about it, said to her 
maid, "You must go and get it tonight, for the 
frotteurs and cleaners will be there early in the 
morning, it will be pocketed, and I shall prob- 
ably never see the money again." She instructed 
the maid to go in person to the house of the Duke 

of , to deliver into his own hands a note she 

would write telling him about the money, and 
then bring back the purse when found. The 
note was written and sealed, and the maid quite 
unconcernedly went on her errand, leaving the 
Duchess alone in the room with the "somebody" 
under her bed. 

Then began, the Empress told us, the hardest 
265 

\ 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

time for her plucky sister, who tried to eke out 
the minutes and invent things to do without ex- 
citing suspicion. At last she realized she could 
delay no longer, and that she must get into bed 
or the man would be suspicious of her dawdling, 
so she took her courage a deux mains and un- 
flinchingly walked over to her bed, and very 
slowly and dehberately stepped in. 

Later on she congratulated herself on having 
had the forethought and nerve to do this, for it 
will appear later it actually saved her life. She 
then spent ten or fifteen terrible minutes of sus- 
pense, wondering whether the intruder would 
now creep out and stab her, — first feeling im- 
pelled to bound out of bed and rush from the 
room, then resisting the temptation so as to pro- 
tect her property. However, these few trying 
minutes, which seemed like hours, passed at last, 
— she heard to her infinite relief the tramp of 
footsteps coming down the long corridor, and 
knew^ she was safe. The note to her recent host 
had briefly acquainted him with the trying situa- 
tion she was in, and urged him to come as quickly 
as possible, with her husband and the police. 
Another minute's delay, the door was burst 
open and the pohce made straight for the bed, 
then secured and dragged out the would-be 
burglar. 

266 



LATER EVENTS 

When brought to justice, he was asked at the 
trial what his intentions had been and he con- 
fessed that he had come to steal the Duchess's 
jewels, tempted by the knowledge that she pos- 
sessed some of the most beautiful and renowned 
pearls in Europe. He intended at first to se- 
cure these only, but hearing her tell her maid 
of her winnings at the card-table, he thought he 
would keep quiet a little longer and so get the 
purse of gold besides. 

In the first few moments, he said, he imagined 
the Duchess had seen him, and he felt inclined 
to jump out at once and seize the jewels, and 
owned he was quite prepared to take her life, too, 
if she resisted. When she wrote the note his sus- 
picions were again aroused, he said, and he 
watched closely for tell-tale signs of fear on her 
part ; but after the deliberately calm way she got 
into bed, his mind was quite at ease, and he de- 
cided within himself that it was not possible she 
could know of his presence. He could not be- 
lieve any woman could get into bed so quietly 
under such untoward circumstances. But here 
he had reckoned without his host, — her pluck was 
superior to his reasoning, and he paid in prison 
the penalty of his would-be theft, and of his lack 
of judgment in the character of an exceptionally 
fine woman. 

267 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

From a letter: 

Farnborough Hill, 
October 1, 1886. 

The Empress has invited me to stay on here, 
as she is not leaving for Italy just yet. 

I look forward to spending Tuesday or Wed- 
nesday with you, and I hope I shaU find you well 
and H.'s cold quite gone. She has a compagne 
de malheur in the Empress, who has a violent in- 
fluenza cold, too, in spite of the lovely weather. 
On Tuesday, the twenty-eighth, Mme. and Felix 
Rainbeaux, whose first visit to England this is, 
went to see Windsor Castle, and the whole party 
(the Rainbeaux and the Dm*uys) left this morn- 
ing for Paris, so we are now very quiet. The 
Marquis de Bassano came to lunch and to say 
goodby to the Empress ; he is starting on a shoot- 
ing trip to Algeria, spending a few days first 
with his family at Folkstone, and the Duke, his 
father, has gone to see him off. 

From a letter; 

Farnborough Hill, 
October 2, 1886. 
At present the Empress, Mme. Le Breton, M. 
Pietri and myself are quite alone — rather a dif- 
ference now in the size of the table at meals. 
Next week a few people are coming to enliven us 
again, — Mme. de Arcos and her sister, and a 

268 



LATER EVENTS 

young Frenchman who has akeady been here, 
M. Urbain Chevreau. 

After the lovely day of yesterday we had a 
most violent storm at night. I hardly ever re- 
member seeing such lightning, but it did not last 
long, — only from about 7:15 to the end of our 
dinner at nine, and then the stars came out. I 
wish the Empress would think of inviting H. 
down for a day now, — everything was so cold and 
bare when she was here in March, — but of course, 
it is rather too much to hope that she will think 
of it, and the Empress never could imagine I'm 
sure the pleasure strangers get out of what she 
is not only accustomed to, but thoroughly tired of. 

This evening at table our party was further 
reduced to only Mme. Le Breton, M. Pietri and 
myself, and we spent the rest of the evening in 
the Empress's salon de travail, her cold being too 
bad for her to come to the dining-room. 

From a letter: 

Farnborough Hill, 
October 6, 1886. 
It seems absurd of me to say I have not had a 
minute all day to write to you, but such is really 
the case. Now, at 7 p. m., I am sitting down in 
my room for the first time today for a few min- 
utes' leisure. On getting up this morning I set 
to work till 11:30 on the dress I am arranging. 

269 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

Then I went to the Empress's room and helped 
her with her embroidery till one o'clock lunch, 
after which, it being rainy, we set to work again 
with our silks and needles till tea time at five; 
and now I have only just come up to my room, 
the conversation lasting all this time. The Em- 
press was tired of embroidering and was glad to 
chat, but I, in a less calm state of mind, was 
steadily watching the clock, hoping to come up 
and write to you, knowing how disappointed you 
would be if you did not hear from me at least to- 
morrow morning. 

I hope to see H. the day after tomorrow, as the 
Empress has asked me to invite her to spend the 
day here. Strange that the invitation should 
have so soon followed the expression of my wish, 
— thought transference perhaps. Let us hope it 
will be fine. There is a train at 9 :45 reaching here 
at 11 :10, which would give her a nice long day. 

I have only seven and a half minutes to dress 
and get downstairs for dinner, so goodby hastily. 

The Empress told us at tea time certain funny 
incidents, which might belong to the Punch series 
of things "better left unsaid." Mme. la Mar- 
quise de la Bedoyere, when at the Tuileries, heard 
some one in a group in the drawing-room ask, 
as a lady entered the room, "Qui est ce petit 
pruneau la qui entre?" An angry but ceremoni- 
ous voice answered, "Madame, c'est ma femmel'* 

270 



LATER EVENTS 

Thoroughly disconcerted and much excited, the 
lady moved off to another group to tell the occur- 
rence, and had just said the words: "Et je 
disais: 'Qui est ce petit pruneau la?' " when the 
same voice behind her answered again: — "Et je 
repondis: 'Madame c'est ma femme!' " ^ 

We also had a pleasant account of the little 
plays given at Compiegne on the Empress's fete 
by her ladies, and all the fun and merriment they 
occasioned. Prosper Merimee (her childhood 
friend) often wrote the plays and the charades, 
and Princess Metternich was one of the principal 
actors, and led matters with a high hand. She 
was plain to ugliness, but full of intelligence and 
ready wit, as the following will show. A lady 
who was anxiously pressing forward to see this 
renowned woman, exclaimed under her breath on 
seeing her, "Oh, quel singe [Oh, what a mon- 
key] !" She was overheard by the Princess, who, 
bowing pohtely, turned to her and said without 
a moment's hesitation, "Oui, madame, le singe a 
la mode [Yes, Madame, the fashionable mon- 
key]." 

Sunday, October 3. General and Mrs. Byrne 
and Reggie came to tea, also Dr. Scott. The 

1 " Who is that little black tiling coming in?" "Madame, it is 
my wife." "And I was just saying, 'Who is that little black 
thing? ' " " And I answered: ' Madame, it is my wife ! ' " 

271 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

Due de Bassano returned from Folkstone at 10 
p. M. 

Monday, October 4. In the afternoon went 
for a drive with M. Pietri, who talked interest- 
ingly about the Franco-Prussian War and the 
Prince Imperial. We called on Mrs. Scott, who 
was out. 

Wednesday, October 6. Worked all day with 
the Empress, helping her with her embroidery, 
which she is finishing for Lady Revelstoke (Lady 
Baring that was). It is going to be made up 
into a screen, and the Empress showed me how 
to do parts of it, — just tedious filling in, — which 
greatly helps her. 

Friday, October 8. Embroidery again with 
the Empress most of the day. Dr. Scott called 
to inquire after her cold. Went for a long drive 
in the afternoon with the Due de Bassano, who 
told me many interesting things about his child- 
hood and recollections of his youth. His father, 
first Due de Bassano, was one of Napoleon I's 
ministers, and had apartments at the court, so as 
a child the Duke was often in a position to see his 
godfather and godmother. Napoleon and Jo- 
sephine, and later on the little Roi de Rome, who 
indeed became his constant playfellow. He told 

272 




I mmn illl n m iimiin'* nni i lin I I r^lTl " ^' ■■' •-'•■ 'J" 







MEMORIAL TO THK FKINLE hVU'EKlAL ON CHISLKHUKST 

COMMON 

From a drawing by B. B. Long 



LATER EVENTS 

me of the great awe with which Napoleon in- 
spired him even as a very young child, though 
the stem soldier-emperor was always kindness 
and tenderness itself to this little fellow, and all 
children. 

One day in the midst of a very amusing game 
that the two boys were playing in the Emperor's 
room, his footsteps were unexpectedly heard ap- 
proaching. The little Roi de Rome got an af- 
fectionate greeting from his father, and then ran 
away elsewhere, forgetting his playmate. Bas- 
sano was so startled that he darted instinctively 
behind a curtain and hid. The Emperor, who 
had forgotten something, came in and began to 
write, and was so deep in his work that several 
hours passed before he finished and went away 
again. Every minute the little boy stayed hid- 
den it became more difficult for him to make up 
his mind to come out, so he finally resigned him- 
self to indefinite imprisonment behind his cur- 
tain, much dreading that the Emperor might 
come to the window it covered and wondering 
what he could say for himself if he did. After 
his long life, eighty odd years, the Duke said he 
remembered now perfectly his infinite relief when 
Napoleon finally departed and he crept out of 
his hiding place. 

The Duke also told me about Queen Victoria's 
coronation (1837), at which he was present as a 

273 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

young attache of the French embassy in London. 
He described the entrance of this young girl in 
a simple white dress into Westminster Abbey, 
and the unforgettable impression made on him 
by the glitter of uniforms and the dazzling gor- 
geousness of the jewels and the coronets of the 
peeresses and the court. 

The Duke also remembered well riding (with 
one of the Bonapartes) in the steam coach in- 
vented and run by my grandfather, Colonel Ma- 
cirone, in the New Road (now Marylebone 
Road) , till an act of Parliament at a great mone- 
tary loss to the inventor put a stop to it, on a plea 
of its frightening the horses. 

Saturday, October 9. H. arrived at 11 
o'clock. We showed her the state carriages be- 
fore lunch and afterward went for a drive all 
through Aldershot, both North and South 
Camps. She left at 7:27, having very much en- 
joyed her day and the Empress's kindness. 

From a letter: 

Farnborough Hill, 
October 12, 1886. 
A few visitors are beginning to arrive here 
again, Mrs. Edmund Vaughan yesterday after- 
noon, M. Urbain Chevreau today, and Mme. 
de Arcos on Thursday next — a change from the 

274 



LATER EVENTS 

monotony, which was beginning to pall. Yes- 
terday we had some people to lunch: Prince 
Roland Bonaparte and his aid-de-camp, Mr. 
Bonot. Prince Roland is a grandson of Napo- 
leon I's brother, Lucien. Today old Prince 
Louis Lucien Bonaparte, who lives in London, 
is coming to lunch. I have seen him already 
here once before. He is uncle to Roland, who 
came yesterday. Now I must say goodby. I 
hear the Empress going into her salon de travail 
and I must follow her. I am sorry H. did not 
see the embroidery ; it is like a most lovely paint- 
ing of flowers, and it will certainly go down to 
posterity with honor. 

Wednesday, October 13. After dinner the 
Empress, under much protest, took the very first 
lesson of her life in whist; she had strenuously 
resisted learning, she said, till then, but was urged 
to try by Mrs. Vaughan who taught us. It was 
my first lesson, too. The Empress played with 
the Due de Bassano against Mrs. Vaughan and 
myself. 

Thursday, October 14. Went for a drive with 
Mme. Le Breton, JNIrs. Vaughan and the Due 
de Bassano ; M. Chevreau following alone in the 
dogcart, driving Umgenie. 

Before his arrival the Empress spoke a good 
275 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

deal about Urbain Chevreau's father, who was 
Ministre d'Interieur, the last minister under the 
Empire appointed by her. Among many other 
schemes, which interested her in behalf of her 
different subjects, the Empress took special 
thought about a project for shortening, and 
thereby softening, the ceremonial preceding the 
execution of criminals. It was arranged that 
they should enter by a door nearer the scaffold, 
should wear no strait- jacket, and that their hair 
should be cut off beforehand in the prison. M. 
Chevreau and she worked together over these and 
other reforms for a long time. One day the Min- 
ister came to announce that all was settled and 
in working order. The Empress expressed her 
pleasure to him, and as he was leaving her pres- 
ence she said, "Eh bien, c'est une bonne affaire 
de faite; — qui sait si nous n'en profiterons pas 
nous aussi. Peutetre aurons nous un jour a nous 
feliciter personellement de ce travail." ^ M. Ur- 
bain Chevreau is a frequent visitor at Monza, 
the country place of the King and Queen of 
Italy, just outside Milan. He told us a good 
deal about Queen Margharita one evening; how 
charming she is, both in public and private 
life, and especially the latter; how bright and 

1 " Ah well this is a good thing achieved, — who knows if we will 
not profit by it ourselves some day. Perhaps we shall some day 
personally rejoice over this day's work!" 

276 



LATER EVENTS 

interesting her conversation, as she sits of an eve- 
ning knitting warm things for some of her poor 
subjects, all of whom worship her. 

Friday, October 15. Blowing a he'dvy gale 
of wind and rain ever since last night. No pos- 
sibility of our going out, but in spite of it all 
arrived Mme. la Marquise de Gallifet, who had 
arranged to come and make a call on her former 
sovereign. The Empress had not seen her for 
a good many years and was painfully impressed 
by the change which had taken place in this once 
beautiful woman, who is now through illness, con- 
tracted during her devoted nursing of cholera 
and other patients, more than plain of feature 
though she still retains her distinguished air. 

Saturday, October 16. At 1 p. m. Stag, the 
Prince Imperial's favorite horse, over thirty years 
old, died. Uhlmann, who came in to inform 
his mistress, had tears in his eyes. This brought 
back many sad memories of course. The Em- 
press gave orders to have one of Stag's hoofs 
kept and made into an inkstand. The faithful 
beast had been with the Prince Imperial in Zulu- 
land, and took part in the funeral procession at 
Chislehurst when, draped with a black net, he 
followed his master's body from the station to 
its temporary resting place in the little Catholic 

277 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

church. Everybody who saw the poor horse, 
said he really seemed to understand that some- 
thing sad was going on. 

The day of the Prince Imperial's funeral Lon- 
don seemed empty. Some thirty or forty thou- 
sand sympathizing people had gone to Chisle- 
hurst from the metropolis, and reports later said 
that a number of French had assisted at the inter- 
ment, besides many thousands of people of other 
nationalities. The Queen immediately came to 
Camden Place and stayed with her bereaved 
friend during those sad houi'S, when the poor 
mother's grief was so great and uncontrollable 
that as I have heard here from her entourage, 
she repeatedly swooned away and was hardly con- 
scious of what was happening during that day. 

It had been the faithful Due de Bassano who, 
when the fatal news reached England some weeks 
before, had had to break it to her. He told me 
in speaking of this, one day, that it was the very 
hardest task he had ever had to accomplish in his 
life. She had only that day received one of the 
Prince's many cheerful letters, — and she would 
not, could not understand or believe he was dead. 
Only the Duke's great love of the dead boy, and 
his devotion to the stricken mother, helped him 
through the ordeal. 

At 4 p. M. the Due de Bassano left for France, 
and at six Mme. de Arcos arrived on a visit. 

278 



LATER EVENTS 

From a letter: 

Farnborough Hill, 
October 17, 1886. 

We are just home from the camp church, and 
so before lunch I will write you a few lines in 
case I should be prevented later in the afternoon, 
for if you do not hear from me early tomorrow 
you will be disappointed, especially as I was un- 
able yesterday to let you have your usual Satur- 
day evening letter. This is the reason: Before 
I was dressed yesterday Mme. Pelletier came up 
to my room to say that as soon as I was ready the 
Empress begged me to go down to her salon de 
travail. This I did, and I remained the whole 
day with Her Majesty, helping her in her annual 
clearing up of old papers. You have no idea of 
the quantity of documents, letters and pamphlets 
which came out of the drawers of her desk, and 
which, after putting aside those to be saved, I 
burned for her (the Empress allows nothing to 
go into the waste-paper basket for housemaids' 
perusal). After luncheon we finished with the 
papers, and then I went with the Empress into 
the inner room, — she calls it her cabinet de tra- 
vail, — and to my astonishment saw her touch a 
spring in the side of a huge looking-glass reach- 
ing from floor to ceiling. It slowly revolved 
back on hinges like a door, showing behind it a 
huge iron safe. A small key from the Empress's 

279 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

pocket opened this, and revealed a number of 
drawers on one side and pigeonholes on the other, 
dividing the safe down the middle, the compart- 
ments bearing a letter of the alphabet, or the 
names of bankers, Spanish estates, etc. Here 
the appropriate letters, papers and documents of 
all kinds are arranged in packets and labeled al- 
phabetically for greater convenience. Each of 
these drawers was opened in turn, the packets 
carefully looked through, and the papers of value 
accumulated this year were put in their proper 
places. Letters from sovereigns she has kept 
separately in a special leather case of her own 
invention. *'N" and "I" contained by far the 
largest bundles, for included under "N" were all 
sorts of things concerning Napoleon I and III, 
and under "I" interesting material relating to 
the Prince Imperial. The Empress showed me 
several newspaper cuttings about his death. 
Some were very beautiful and touching, but the 
majority (nearly all from French newspapers) 
most cruel and cowardly libels on the brave young 
Prince. I could not have kept such horrid things 
if I had been the Empress and I told her so, but 
she seemed to think it a necessity. I also saw 
letters from MacMahon and others; and written 
out with her own hand some copies of political 
letters she had penned in times gone by. Also 
the list of invitations to and the order of cere- 

280 



LATER EVENTS 

monial of the Prince's baptism, besides a list of 
his layette and many other interesting things. 
The Empress had all these and other priceless 
docmnents of the Tuileries sent on board a ship 
of the squadron for safety, as soon as things 
seemed to be going badly in the Franco-Prussian 
War, and the future loomed up ominously. 

She let me read many letters from different 
people (who afterward turned against her and 
betrayed their trust) expressing the writers' de- 
votion and eternal gratitude. Of this nature 
were letters from Bazaine and Trochu, and the 
Empress said they would be mortally ashamed 
if these were made known, and she added, "Peo- 
ple would be very much embarrassed in the light 
of subsequent events, if I were to bring out these 
papers and confront the writers with their own 
words now." She said, too, that her experience 
had been such that, with very few exceptions, she 
did not believe in or even tolerate the word "grat- 
itude." It angers her, it is usually so false. She 
believes there is very little, — hardly any such 
thing as genuine self-sacrificing gratitude left in 
the world. 

I was given to read some very queer letters 
from crazy people. These last were not among 
the papers preserved, but among the class of 
daily letters, which are usually destroyed as soon 
as answered or attended to. Out of one from 

281 



EMPKESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

America came a large lock of black hair, labeled 
"from your son by the Comte de Chambord." 
The letter said, "I am writing to papa by the 
same post," and ended by begging money to come 
over to see her. Another claimant writes every 
week, "Chere Mademoiselle: I will meet you at 
Charing Cross at the train to arrange about our 
marriage." The writer continues that he thinks 
it better to write to the Pope or perhaps the 
Prince of Wales to arrange matters and signs it 
"Roger Doughty Tichborne," Plis latest epistle 
of six pages ends as follows: "I need only say, 
Mademoiselle, that I am ready to marry you any 
day or at any hour. You have only to write 
when, for we ought to have been married twenty 
years ago. F. P. D. G. L. Roger Doughty 
Tichborne." 

A number of begging letters, too, were de- 
stroyed by us. H. I. M. said people behaved 
just like vultures, swooping down on her during 
the first month after the Prince Imperial's death. 
She had the letters put aside at the time and 
alphabetically arranged, and on examination 
found that she had been asked for more than a 
million francs in those four weeks. 

Here are two examples of the extraordinary 
addresses on some of the letters doomed to the 
flames: A Sa Majeste Vlmperatrice Eugenie, 
London Bridge, Museum, Angleterre; A VeiV- 

2S2 



LATER EVENTS 

Imperatrice, a Montengo, Chist-le-Rousse (Chi- 
slehurst), Angleterre. 

I would not have missed my interesting day's 
work for anything, though it certainly was tire- 
some sitting all day, steadily tearing up and 
burning papers handed to me, especially as the 
Empress hardly spoke at all; she is obhged with 
her bad cold to be as silent as possible to avoid 
bringing on a fit of coughing. 

Monday, October 18. All morning again ar- 
ranging papers with the Empress. Dr. Scott 
dropped in at afternoon tea time. Dr. Chepmell 
came to make the Empress a professional visit 
and dined here, leaving by a ten o'clock train. I 
was shown today a letter from Paul de Cassag- 
nac. Talking afterward of his officious devotion, 
the Empress said, "Son devoument est une vraie 
affliction et ne vaut pas grand chose [His devo- 
tion is a veritable infliction and is not worth 
much]." Writing from Germany in 1870, he 
had said of Napoleon III and the Prince Im- 
perial: "Nous ne voulons ni d'un vieillard ni 
d'un enfant [We will have neither an old man nor 
a child]." 

In the evening and under the influence of the 
letters read during the day, ingratitude became 
the topic uppermost. We were told incidentally 
that Don Meurice de Bourbon wanted to marry 

283 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

the Empress when she was a girl, and then the 
real ingratitude of the Duke of S. was brought to 
our notice. Both he and his brother were paid 
for at college by the Emperor, and spent their 
holidays at the Tuileries. "Apres les evenements 
il n'a jamais dit un seul mot de sympathie, et il 
ne s'est meme pas fait inscrire a Madrid." ^ 
Lately he has had the audacity after first sending 
a visiting card, to write and ask the Enipress for 
money. The letter was not answered. 

Here is another instance of ingratitude. The 
Emperor and Empress once visited incognito the 
booths at the Foire de St. Cloud, and next day 
sent one hundred francs to each of the itinerant 
performers. One was unintentionally forgotten, 
so H. I. M. sent a gentleman back the follow- 
ing day with the extra money. The recipient 
was the geant of the Foire, a fine big fellow, the 
son of a gentleman of the court of Charles X, 
who had had reverses of fortune and was penni- 
less. The Empress when she heard the story 
bought him out for the remainder of his two 
years' engagement, clothed him and gave him an 
appointment at her court. She has never had a 
single word from him since 1870. 

1 " He has never said a single word of sympathy since the event, 
and he did not even have his name written down in Madrid," — that 
is, in the book provided at a royal court or an embassy for the 
entering of names of formal callers who come to express sympathy 
or offer congratulations; the equivalent of a call in private life. 

284 



LATER EVENTS 

Then the Empress told us of the strong at- 
tachment of a little girl for the Emperor and her- 
self at Biarritz. The child was taken ill with 
diphtheria and would accept no remedies from 
anybody but the Empress, in whom she had great 
confidence. The sovereign nursed the child 
through the crisis of her sickness and operation, 
and she recovered. No expressions of gratitude 
were sufficient for the father, — he would never in 
his life forget her devotion, he said. Neverthe- 
less in 1870 he unmercifully abused the Imperial 
party, and, added the Empress, "A la mort de 
mon fils, il a eu la cruaute de dire, — 'C'est bien 
fait' [At my son's death he had the cruelty to 
say, — 'It is well done'] !" 

From a letter : 

Farnborough Hill, 
October 19, 1886. 
All day yesterday I spent with the Empress 
arranging and classifying more papers. This 
time they were mostly letters of condolence re- 
ceived after the Prince Imperial's death, besides 
poems, elegies, books and consolatory pamphlets 
of all sorts, received at the same time. There is 
another large safe in the upper gallery near the 
Empress's bedroom, and into this the more bulky 
and less precious documents are all put alphabet- 
ically like the others downstairs. I should say 

285 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

there must be thousands of them in the pigeon 
holes. The poor Empress arranged them all 
with seeming indifference, but at the last when 
Mme. Le Breton was passing by and remarked 
that she looked tired and pale, and begged her 
to leave off, she broke down completely, put her 
elbows on the flat glass cabinet before her and 
burst out crying. Poor thing ! 

In looking through the documents this morn- 
ing, we came across one relating to the Chateau 
de Marseilles, and this is what was told about it 
by H. I. M. The town gave the site and the 
Emperor built the residence himself. After the 
Emperor's death in 1873, Marseilles requested 
citoyenne Bonaparte to give it back, saying that 
it was not inhabited as it ought to have been ac- 
cording to agreement. Asked for it in this per- 
emptory way, the citoyenne refused to give it 
up and a lawsuit followed which the Empress 
gained. Having won, she then handed the cha- 
teau immediately over to the town as a gift from 
Marie Eugenie Guzman, veuve de I'Empereur 
Najwleon III, and stipulated that it was to be 
used as a hos^Dital. The gift was rejected, but 
soon after cholera broke out and then the civil 
authorities were glad enough to accept the cha- 
teau. The Empress added that her partisans 
were as angry with her for doing this as the 
Due d'Aumale's now are at the gift of "Chan- 

286 



LATER EVENTS 

tilly" to his country, which has since exiled him. 
Tuesday, October 19. My first real walk since 
my accident,— from three to four p. m. Went as 
far as the Memorial Chapel, which is advancing 
rapidly and is almost finished. 

Wednesday, October 20. No message has 
come to my room as yet, so I suppose the Em- 
press does n't intend doing any more till the aft- 
ernoon or tomorrow. I wrote to Princess Eu- 
genie yesterday and hope soon to hear from her. 

Mrs. Vaughan leaves today, and Mme. de 
Arcos (or Zizi, as the Empress always calls her) 
remains till next week. Count Minszech, an 
Austrian, who came here once before in the sum- 
mer and who divides his life between Paris, 
Vienna and England, is coming to lunch to- 
morrow. 

From a letter: 

Farnborough Hill, 
October 21, 1886. 
I cannot say much about the Turkish ambas- 
sador, Rustem Pasha, for he did not come to 
lunch after all, but only to pay his respects to 
the Empress in the afternoon, and on arriving 
was received at once in her private apartments. 
Mme. Le Breton and I only saw him passing 
down the gallery on his way to and from the 
carriage. He is a small sallow man, wearing a 

287 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

fez of course. The Empress told us he had years 
ago become a Christian and was at one time Gov- 
ernor of Syria. She made his acquaintance on 
a visit to Constantinople, which preceded the 
opening of the Suez Canal. She is charmed with 
him now, says he is full of intelligence, and had 
a most interesting conversation with him, about 
affairs in the East. Among other things, he 
said that formerly it was the French and the 
English merchants who divided trade between 
them, — now the Germans have the principal busi- 
ness. They first tempted the natives by cheap- 
ness, under-bidding other nationalities, and have 
now become the leading dealers. 

During our walk after dinner and following 
our talk about Rustem Pasha, our hostess gave 
us a whole string of Eastern experiences, one 
after the other, and here are the notes I made be- 
fore going to bed, and which I have just filled 
out as such, adding only a word here and there 
to make the narrative intelligible: 

First she told us about the opening of the 
Suez Canal. The Empress went alone to the 
opening of this important waterway. Affairs in 
France being in an unsettled state, the sovereigns 
did not both dare to absent themselves together 
for any length of time, so it was decided that the 
Empress should be the one to go. All the fleets 
of Europe were represented, and among the sov- 

288 




THE EMPRESS, ABOUT 1870 



LATER EVENTS 

ereigns there were present the Emperor of Aus- 
tria, the Crown Prince of Prussia, and the Prince 
and Princess of the Netherlands. The roar of 
cannon was deafening. In recognition of the gi- 
gantic engineering feat having been undertaken 
and carried through by a French engineer and 
under French auspices, the Empress was given 
precedence everywhere. All the royalties came 
and paid visits to the Empress on her yacht, 
L'Aigle, which led the procession of yachts, and 
was the first to enter and go through the Suez 
Canal. 

This is the telegram the Empress told us she 
sent to the Emperor on arriving, November 17, 
1869: "Arrivee a Port Said — reception ma- 
gique — la chose la plus magnifique que j'ai 
jamais vue [Arrived at Port Said — a magical 
reception — the most magnificent thing I have 
ever witnessed]." After the opening of the 
canal, a regular triumphal program commenced 
and all the following things happened during this 
wonderful and delightful trip : 

For the opening religious ceremonies, a mag- 
nificent tribune was erected, where the sovereigns 
sat. One side was devoted to the Cathohc serv- 
ices of thanksgiving, and the other to the Moham- 
medan ceremony of the same, and the whole was 
very solemn. A splendid ball was given next 
night at Ismaiha. The Empress of the French 

289 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

presided at the supper; she was seated between 
Emperor Francis Joseph I and the Crown Prince 
of Prussia. The Khedive Ismael Pasha sat op- 
posite. During the supper the Khedive sud- 
denly left the party, locking the sovereigns and 
their suites in the banquet room. All won- 
dered what was happening, and the Emperor of 
Austria went to reconnoiter. He discovered that 
the Khedive was uneasy about his guests. M. de 
Lesseps had brought in such a number of reds, 
the Empress said, that Ismael feared there might 
be an outbreak or some attempt on their lives. 
After supper all the sovereigns went to the pub- 
lic ball-room to look on at the multitude of meriy- 
makers. It was very amusing. The Republi- 
cans were all dancing with their fezzes on in that 
fearful heat, because they would not uncover 
themselves before royalty for anything. So they 
danced on in a fearful state, like a Turkish bath, 
the perspiration pouring down their faces, while 
royalty looked on and enjoyed their unnecessary 
discomfiture. 

The party arrived next day at the town of 
Suez, and the Empress, the other sovereigns and 
their suites, signed their names to an entry in the 
yacht's log-book, which stated that the journey 
through the Suez Canal had been actually and 
successfully achieved. 

The Empress then told us about the Khedive's 
290 



LATER EVENTS 

wonderful munificence, and the number of boats 
on the Nile put at their disposal for the journey 
with her numerous suite. The Empress had a 
good sized sitting-room for herself and her nieces 
in one dahabeah ; there was a dining-room in an- 
other. One was exclusively taken up by a laun- 
dry for themselves and suite. Another was filled 
with preserves and stores of all kinds. Still 
others contained live cattle and poultiy and stores 
of vegetables and fruit. Perishable food was 
preserved in ice and the whole party had a plen- 
tiful supply of this, as of all else through the en- 
tire journey. A dahabeah was also the traveling 
home of the camels and mules, and the tents and 
baggage, for excursions into the desert. There 
were numbers of other boats to supply minor 
wants of the numerous suite and the servants, and 
one exclusively reserved for a barber's shop. A 
relay of dahabeahs was left behind at each of the 
three cataracts and a fresh relay as fully 
equipped found ready. It was, the Empress 
said, exactly like one of the Arabian Nights^ 
fairy tales, and the whole of this outlay was at 
the Khedive's expense. 

The same evening, the Empress told us about 
her cousin de Lesseps. She described at some 
length his tremendous imagination and indomi- 
table energy, his life in Paris and his great prodi- 
gality and open-hearted hospitality. Their 

291 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

house, she said, must have been a very difficult 
one to run, for he sometimes came home of an 
evening bringing in his wake and unannounced 
a collection of twenty to twenty-five friends with 
him, picked up in odd corners at different inter- 
vals in the day, and invited with the greatest cor- 
diality. His wife was often at her wits' end, 
but had to do the best she could. Their children 
were well known in Paris for the way they rode 
their ponies in a furious wild Indian fashion 
through the Bois de Boulogne. JNIme. de Les- 
seps told the Empress that she had first fallen 
in love with her husband through her great admi- 
ration for his genius, — a genius which would 
probably have saved her mother's Hfe if his chef 
dfoeuvre, the Suez Canal, had existed sooner. It 
seems that as her mother was returning from a 
visit to some island, she was so terribly seasick 
that she had to be carried ashore at the Cape, 
and died there of exhaustion soon after. Had 
the journey been shortened, as it could have been 
by the existence of the Suez Canal, the fatality 
to her mother might not have occurred. 

The Empress told us about her interesting visit 
to the harem of the Sultan of Turkey, Abdul- 
Aziz, during this royal progress through the East. 
The women, she said, were tres ordinaires, in 
spite of their very lovely eyes, and were entirely 
without education. They did nothing all day 

292 



LATER EVENTS 

long and lived almost entirely on bonbons. They 
had absolutely no privacy, no sleeping-rooms of 
their own, but reclined on their divans day and 
night and held the position of slaves. Only the 
mother of a male child was honored and treated 
as a wife of the Sultan. 

She also told us about the return visit of the 
Sultan's women to her, a most extraordinary in- 
novation to rule and a wonderful event for them. 
They had never before been outside of their 
harem, till they were taken to Beylerbey Palace 
on the other side of the Bosporus, i3ut at the Em- 
press's disposal by the Sultan. Before they were 
allowed to go, however, an attendant was sent 
by the Sultan to visit every nook and comer of 
the palace, to see that no man was anywhere con- 
cealed. All the gentlemen of the Empress's suite 
and her men-servants had been previously obliged 
to leave the premises and go and wait aboard the 
imperial yacht. By some oversight the Em- 
press's small negro page, Mustapha, given the 
Empress by some barbaric ruler, was forgotten. 
He was her personal attendant, and had in the 
eyes of many much the position of a pet dog, 
so that in making a list of the men to be ousted 
he was not remembered. The harem women ar- 
rived like a buzzing swarm of bees, — thirty or 
forty of them. They poured in with unman- 
nered haste, so delighted with their new found 

293 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

liberty that they ransacked every corner and 
turned everything topsy-turvy to examine it, 
even spilhng her work basket and trjnng on her 
thimble. Tlie Empress began to fear for her 
jewels when she saw their utter lack of control. 
At last, in the course of their investigation, the 
ladies of the harem came accidentally upon Mus- 
tapha, hidden away in a corner behind a door. 
Great astonishment and pretended horror on 
their part, — mingled with wonderful curiosity 
and excitement at the extraordinary event. The 
poor page's fright was terrible and genuine. He 
feared the Sultan's knowing that he had seen his 
wives, for he knew the usual penalty of such au- 
dacity was death. Nothing the Empress or any- 
body could say would comfort him or allay his 
fears. He begged so insistently and piteously to 
be sent immediately on board UAigle for safety, 
that at last he had to be yielded to. 

The Empress had a long talk with two of the 
Sultan's daughters ; one was being brought up in 
the English style and only spoke English. She 
had an English governess and spent her days 
riding round and round in a small courtyard of 
the palace, trying to be what she imagined Eng- 
lish girls to be like. The other daughter was 
brought up as a French girl and only spoke 
French. Her attendants were French and all 
her books were French, The Empress took up 

294 



LATER EVENTS 

some of them and discovered most of them were 
by Paul de Koch. This girl said in course of 
conversation: "We two are much more to be 
pitied than the other daughters of the Sultan, — 
they do not know their loss, but the Sultan has 
by education opened for us a window to look into 
the outer world, which, however, is denied us, 
and he has made us very unhappy! We both 
hope we shall be allowed to marry Christians, 
and so escape from this terrible existence." 

H. I. M. ended up this much prolonged talk 
about the Orient, by telling us of a very strange 
experience she had on the Bosporus. It was dur- 
ing this same official visit to Constantinople, dur- 
ing which she was the guest of the Sultan, and 
being entertained with princely magnificence. 
The Empress described her costume that day, and 
said she was decked out in all her most gorgeous 
finery, — a robe of scarlet cashmere embroidered 
with gold, — and she wore some of the crown 
jewels, among others a diadem having in the 
center the famous "Regent" (which Napoleon 
had bought for 14,000,000 francs). For the 
first time on record the Sultan allowed a 
woman to cross the Bosporus in his private 
caique. This was an unheard-of honor, but no 
honor was deemed too great to be paid to his 
guest, the Empress of the French. She was be- 
ing rowed by six splendid caigij whose beautiful 

295 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

and strange dress of diaphanous materials she 
described. They are lightly clad because they 
have to row with all their might. The boats go 
like the wind, and never under any consideration 
whatever are they allowed to stop an instant. 
If anything gets in the way, they run it down as 
a matter of course. The men never take any pre- 
cautions against the dreadful heat of the Bos- 
porus, and get alternately so overheated and 
then so chilled, that nearly all ultimately die of 
consumption, in spite of being such magnificent 
men and having such splendid physique to start 
with. 

Well, the Empress, then, was in this caique, 
going along with lightning speed, when all of a 
sudden she saw, right across their bows, a small 
rowboat with one man in it. It came upon her 
in a flash that in a few seconds more he would 
be run down. She knew it would be no use to 
beg the caigi to stop, — such an idea would be un- 
heard of. Even if she had they could not have 
understood her language, and would not have 
obeyed in any case because of the fearful penalty 
this breach of discipline would bring. In this 
terrible moment, the Empress said, in default 
of all else, nature came to her assistance and 
made her do the one spontaneous thing which 
really saved the man's life. A little shriek of 
alarm so astonished the caigi, that for an instant 

296 



LATER EVENTS 

they turned to look and forgot their duty. In 
that incredibly short space of time the man in the 
small boat had time to swiftly move aside. He 
then stood up in his boat and waving his hat 
called out in English, "Long live the Empress !" 
Amid so many others equally thrilling she com- 
pletely forgot this incident. It never crossed 
her mind again, she said, till driving down the 
rue de Rivoli during her memorable flight from 
Paris, Dr. Evans asked her if she remembered 
the occurrence, and said, "I was that man ! Your 
Majesty saved my life once; I am delighted to 
be of some service in my turn." The Empress 
said in finishing this story, "II m'a vue aux deux 
points les plus opposes de ma vie, — au plus haut ! 
— au plus has [He saw me at the two greatest 
extremes of my Hfe — at the highest and the low- 
est] !" Soon after the various events in the East, 
the Empress was summoned home rather sud- 
denly for the opening of the "Chambre." 

From a letter: 

Farnborough Hill, 
October 21, 1886. 
The Empress had a letter from Princess Bea- 
trice yesterday, which she partly read to us. She 
was writing to ask the Empress "from Mamma," 
to postpone her departure for Italy till the 
Queen's return from Bahnoral, which will be 

297 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

about the fifth or sixth of the month, as the Queen 
wishes very much to see her friend. Of course 
the Empress cannot refuse to wait. So much 
the better for me, for this will probably lengthen 
my stay here. The Empress says she cannot go 
to Windsor till at least the seventh or eighth, 
and she will probably not return here afterward. 
Princess Beatrice writes that Prince Joseph of 
Battenberg, M^ho, with the Prince of Hesse and 
his daughter Irene, is stajnng with them at Bal- 
moral, tells them most interesting and terrible 
things about poor Prince Alexander's treatment 
and imprisonment in Bulgaria. She adds that 
she herself will be very glad to get settled down 
at Windsor, as she is not feeling at all well.^ 

The gong will be sounding in a few minutes, 
so I must stop. My foot still swells at night and 
will for a long time to come, the doctor says, but 
it does not pain me in the least now. Yesterday 
we walked all around "Compiegne," a part of 
the Farnborough property with a picturesque 
pond in it, then through the jardin potager where 
the Napoleon I willows grow, and back through 
the park. 

I have only a few minutes before lunch to 
write. Dr. Scott is invited, and later the Em- 
press is likely to ask me to help again, as I did 

1 Her eldest boy, Alexander Albert, was born shortly after this. 

298 



LATER EVENTS 

yesterday, and arrange papers with her till tea 
time, after which conversation is prolonged 
sometimes until it is nearly time to dress for din- 
ner, and no one can leave the room till the Em- 
press does. 

I had a charming letter from Princess Eu- 
genie Murat yesterday; she and her father are 
staying with the Prince de Wagram, his father- 
in-law, and will be back in Paris in a month. 

In the evening at the usual walking and talking 
time, the Empress was speaking about an official 
journey through Brittany in August, 1858. She 
told us how very tired she was with the constant 
strain of speeches and people being presented, 
for the train kept continually stopping. At a 
small wayside station a poor little dressed up, 
frightened child was popped into the carriage 
with an enormous bouquet. The Empress in her 
usual affable way, trying to help the child, asked 
her, "Mon enfant, comment te nommes-tu?" 
General Fleury, who was always fond of a joke, 
could not resist the temptation of whispering 
behind the child, "Dites: J'ai nom Eliacin," ^ 
much to the general amusement and the poor 
child's confusion, who could not understand what 
it was all about. 

1 Celebrated answer in Athali*. 



299 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

From a letter: 

Farnborough Hill, 
October 26, 1886. 

Monseigneur Goddard is expected to lunch, 
so I must begin and finish my letter now, as I 
shall not be able to do so afterwards. I spent 
yesterday afternoon in London with the Em- 
press, who went up to consult Dr. Chepmell. 
He came to see her as usual at Mme. de Arcos's 
house in Wilton Crescent. The visit over, the 
Empress went to several shops to get a certain 
kind of portfolio for keeping old letters, and not 
succeeding, finally ordered one of her own in- 
vention at Jenner & Newstubbs. We then drove 
back to the station. 

Wednesday, October 27. Dull day, — nothing 
happened, — but there was a most interesting con- 
versation after tea, the Empress telling all sorts 
of anecdotes about Napoleon I and her own 
reminiscences. "Napoleon I etait un vrai genie; 
lui seul pouvait tenir tete a tant d'esprits reunis 
contre lui." ^ She was remarking how strange 
it was that some of her family in the past should 
have been against Napoleon I. In one of Na- 
poleon's letters (that she has read) he writes to 
his brother Joseph: "Beware of Montijo. 

1 " Napoleon 1 was a real genius; he alone had the capacity to 
hold good against so many minds united against him." 

300 



LATER EVENTS 

Keep an eye on him, — he is dangerous." This 
Monti jo was her own father's brother. He has 
been called the "Spanish Mirabeau," was an in- 
veterate enemy to France, and a revolutionary 
leader at home. Eugenie's father, Don Cip- 
riano Guzman de Palafox y Portocarrero, on the 
contrary, was always an ardent admirer of Na- 
poleon and distinguished himself as a colonel in 
his army. 

The Empress had found among her Napo- 
leonic documents a letter addressed to an ances- 
tor of the present Duke of Fernan Nunez, now 
her relative by marriage. The letter had been 
intercepted 89 years ago. She has just for- 
warded it to the descendant of the Duke it was 
originally addressed to. H. I. M. also found 
one daj^ in the Tuileries, behind a looking-glass, 
a piece of paper which proved on examination to 
be a list of the gardes nationauoc who entered to 
sack it in 1830. 

Napoleon I when a young man about to leave 
I'Ecole de Brienne, where he was educated at 
the expense of the French king, was passing the 
place de la Greve at the time of the emeute at 
the Tuileries. Napoleon's first movement was 
to draw his sword and go to the defense of the 
king, but at that moment Louis XVI appeared 
at a window with a bonnet Phrygien on his head, 
and the young Napoleon was so disgusted at his 

301 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

ill-judged complaisancy to please the people, 
that he returned his sword to his scabbard and 
went his way. 

Here is an instance of the usual good luck ^ 
of Napoleon I : He was himself visiting the out- 
posts in a post chaise on the eve of a battle. Sud- 
denly the postilion stopped; it was a pitch dark 
night, a fierce storm was raging and the fright- 
ened horses were prancing madly, and had be- 
come quite unmanageable. A tremendous flash 
of lightning showed a tree fallen across the road. 
But for this object the post chaise would have 
dashed headlong into the river, as the bridge a 
few steps farther on had been destroyed by the 
enemy. 

Here is an instance of adverse fate when his 
"star" was beginning to wane: Once, and once 
only, the Emperor departing from his custom 
wrote his plans to the Empress Louise, and that 
time the courier was taken prisoner and the cor- 
respondence intercepted. 

Speaking of army reserves, the Empress said : 
"C'est Stern, Ministre de la guerre, I'homme qui 
avait le plus de talent en Prusse a cette epoque 
qui imagina le systeme d'armee allemande a cause 
des conditions que lui avait imposees Napoleon 

1 Napoleon III bad this same belief in his "star" and fate that 
his uncle had. 

302 



LATER EVENTS 

apres la bataille de Jena (1806) , leur permettant 
seulement d'avoir 40,000 soldats." ^ 

Here is a mot du Premier Consul in which the 
lady in question certainly got the best of it: 
"Pen de temps apres la Terreur, il dit brusque- 
ment im jour a une dame, qui s'exprimait tres 
franchement aux Tuileries: 'Madame, les 
femmes ne devraient pas s'occuper de politique.' 
— 'Dans un pays oii Ton coupe le tete aux 
femmes, cela doit leur etre permis de savoir au 
moins pourquoi,' repondit-elle." ^ 

The following is an interesting side light on a 
debatable historical enigma. The Emperor 
when helpless from long and depressing illness 
and fiercely attacked on all sides, had the weak- 
ness, the Empress told us, to own to responsibil- 
ity for the death of the Due d'Enghien. She 
asserted, though, that in spite of this there were 
positive proofs to her mind that he was not re- 
sponsible for his death, that the accusation was 
false, and that several historians now agree with 
her. She has read a letter of Joseph's to one of 

1 " It was Stern, Minister of War, the most able man in Prussia 
at i\v\\ period, who evolved the German army system through the 
conditions imposed on him by Napoleon after the battle of Jena 
(1806), allowing them to have only 40,000 soldiers." 

2 " Soon after tlie Reign of Terror he said one day sharply to a 
lady, who was expressing herself very frankly at the Tuileries, 
* Madam, women ought not to meddle in politics.' — ' In a country 
where they cut women's heads off, it ought to be permitted them 
to know at least the why and wherefore,' she responded." 

303 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

his sisters, telling how terribly grieved Napoleon 
had been about it. The Empress is convinced 
the death was brought about without the knowl- 
edge of Napoleon. The Due d'Enghien had 
been warned, but did not heed the warning and 
was seized on French territory. It was to Tal- 
leyrand's interest to act quickly. He had him 
tried late at night on his own responsibility, and 
had him hurriedly shot in the early dawn. The 
Duke had begged to be allowed to see the Pre- 
mier Consul but this boon was refused him. The 
juge d' instruction, who was the lawful person 
to condemn him, was waked in the morning and 
was given an urgent letter from Napoleon, sent 
by special messenger, telling him to stop the pro- 
ceedings against d'Enghien. It was then only 
4 A. M,; the judge rose at once, and hastened to 
where the Due d'Enghien was imprisoned at Vin- 
cennes, but it was too late. The execution was 
already over. As the judge arrived at the fort- 
ress, he met the squad of soldiers returning from 
their deadly work. 

The Empress has lately been reading Mme. 
de Stael's Letters, and finds what she thinks is 
a clue to this author's and her father's in- 
veterate hatred of Napoleon I. M. de Necker 
had prepared, it appears, a reception for the 
young General Bonaparte and invited him to 
come to his house on the Lake of Geneva, at Fer- 

804 



LATER EVENTS 

nay, which had formerly belonged to Voltaire. 
Ignoring M. de Necker's important position and 
polite invitation, Napoleon answered flippantly: 
"A Fernay? — Mais je croyais Voltaire mort [To 
Fernay? — But, I thought Voltaire was dead]." 
M. de Necker never forgave this shght. "Mais," 
the Empress added, "Mme. de Stael aurait volon- 
tiers pardonne plus tard, si Napoleon I'avait 
voulu [But, Mme. de Stael would have wilhngly 
forgiven him later, if Napoleon had wished it]." 
This is what the Empress told us about the 
Due de Reichstadt: History says he was not 
hked by his grandfather, the Emperor of Aus- 
tria, but this was not the case. On the contrary, 
Franz Joseph was extremely fond and proud of 
his grandson. The Empress told us of the sur- 
veillance exercised over him, because of the plots 
to rescue him from Austria and put him on his 
captive father's throne. She told us about his 
cousin Napoleone (Countess Camerata, daugh- 
ter of Eliza Bonaparte) and how she waited 
about Vienna for a month trying to manage an 
interview with him. At last, in desperation, she 
bribed the servants of a professor to whose house 
young "Franz" was permitted to go alone, 
and she was allowed to stand on a turn of the 
staircase. Many times she waited there in vain, 
but at last one evening her opportunity came. 
The Due started up the stairs, coming face to 

305 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

face with her, but when she tried to stop him 
and explain who she was, misunderstanding her 
motives he darted up the stairs, and his one 
chance was lost forever. On arriving home at 
the Castle of Schonbrun he found a heart-broken 
letter from Napoleone explaining all, and beg- 
ging him to accept the chance of escape from 
Austria. He vacillated, refused his opportunity 
and never got another. 

This young Due begged so hard to have a 
regiment of his own, that his grandfather finally 
gave him one. Then the young soldier could be 
seen morning and night drilling his regiment, 
and when he finally got it so that he was proud of 
it, he asked his grandfather one day to assist at 
a review. At first Franz Joseph refused the re- 
quest for fear of what Congres would say, but at 
last he yielded. The Due de Reichstadt delight- 
edly brought up his regiment, saluted his grand- 
father in a very gallant way and then galloped 
oflp. There was a large fosse close by; this he 
jumped fully accoutred and the whole regiment 
followed after him, crying in their excited en- 
thusiasm: "Vive Napoleon!" Next day there 
was a note from Congres and the regiment was 
taken away from poor Franz. He died of con- 
sumption in 1832 at Schonbrun, at the age of 
twenty-one, and is buried near the Emperor and 
his four wives. This was all told %e Empress 

306 



LATER EVENTS 

by Count Prokesch-Osten, the Due de Reieh- 
stadt's only intimate friend, whom the Empress 
met when he was a very old man. 

Thursday, October 28, 1886. We learn that 
Mrs. Standish's house, "Le Berystyde," was 
burned to the ground on Tuesday night. The 
Empress telegraphed at once and sent over M. 
Pietri and M. Chevreau to offer her condolence, 
to inquire concerning Mrs. Standish, who was 
terribly burned, and offer assistance in any shape. 
The gentlemen returned at 2 p. m. with a sad 
account of the occurrence. At three the Em- 
press, Mme. Le Breton and the two gentlemen 
started off to pay a farewell visit to Lady Hol- 
land at St. Ann's. 

From a letter: 

Farnborough Hill, 
October 29, 1886. 
This morning early, as soon as the Empress 
was down, there was much commotion in the 
house, — orders and counter-orders, and as much 
fuss as if it were the very first time anyone of 
note had been received at Farnborough. The 
servants in gala dress, — knickerbockers and silk 
stockings, — running about, puttmg up the awn- 
ings over the porch and laying the royal red car- 

307 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

pet at the entrance. The Empress is in a very 
nervous state. 

At last, at 12:50 the royal party arrived in 
the two carriages sent to meet them, accompanied 
by M. Pietri, who, in the absence of the Due de 
Bassano, does the honors. Grand salutations 
and royal kisses, and when the Duchess and her 
children had taken off their things in the Em- 
press's room and had chatted a little with her, 
the door opened and all appeared together, mak- 
ing their way up the gallery. When they 
reached the spot where Mme. Le Breton, the two 
gentlemen and myself were waiting, the Empress 
presented us each in turn to the Duchess of Teck, 
behind whom followed Princess Victoria Mary 
of Teck, a pretty girl of eighteen, Prince 
Adolphus, about nineteen or twenty, and the 
youngest boy of twelve. Prince Alexander 
George. Such a size as he is, — and such fat rosy 
cheeks, and such an appetite! The lunch went 
off very comfortably and pleasantly, our guests 
being simple and natural, and Prince Alexander 
not a httle astonished at being called Voire Al- 
tesse by the Empress, for at Mr. Morton's near 
here, where he is at school at present, he is only 
"Alex," or "Teck" to his comrades. Each and 
all have wonderful appetites, — no wonder the 
good-natured Duchess is so stout. Her daugh- 
ter "May," as she is called by her family, how- 

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ever, has a lithe charming figure and is a sweet 
looking girl, rather shy and retiring. I took her 
all over the house after luncheon and showed her 
the interesting things in the glass cases, but not 
even the wonderful Charlemagne "talisman" in 
the chapel elicited from her any expression of 
pleasure, surprise or interest. All she said was 
"very nice" to anything I showed her. Only 
once all day I remember her making a sponta- 
neous remark of her own, and that was in per- 
ceiving high up over a doorway a rather com- 
monplace picture of a Swiss mountain. The 
Princess recognized some old favorite of hers, 
her face lighted up, and she really did seem 
pleased for the time. Mme. de Arcos, who stays 
often with the family at "White Lodge," Rich- 
mond, and sees them in the most intimate way, 
said that Princess May hardly ever speaks except 
when spoken to, but sits quietly in the drawing 
room of an evening, sewing away, making va- 
rious flannel petticoats and garments for the 
poor. The Duchess is at the head of some large 
organization work for poor people and her 
daughter helps her tremendously. What a hand- 
some man the Duke must have been a few years 
ago. He was most polite to me and while we 
were all dispersed through the reception rooms, 
looking at the different pictures, etc., I heard 
some one behind me saying to M. Pietri: "But 

309 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

please present me to Mademoiselle W.," and be- 
fore I had time to turn around the speaker came 
up to me, as he might have done to an old friend 
he had not seen for years, saying, "Mademoiselle, 
rimperatrice a passe si vite a table, qu'elle ne 
m'a pas presente. Aussi vous m'excuserez de ne 
vous avoir pas parle avant, car [and here he 
laughed] je suis un homme si bien eleve, que je 
n'ai pas ose le faire avant la presentation." ^ 

At 3 :30 the whole party went for a drive with 
the Empress, and at five their special saloon car- 
riage was hooked on to the express train which 
took them back to "White Lodge," Richmond. 
After seeing his family off, Prince Alexander 
returned here in the carriage with the Empress, 
who gave him a good solid supper, — cold meat, 
sandwiches, and all sorts of things, to which he 
did full justice before returning to school. It 
was amusing to see how his eyes lighted up with 
schoolboy gratitude and expectation when supper 
was mooted by his hostess. 

In the evening wliile talking about our visitors, 
we happened to get on the subject of nicknames 
and the Empress expressed her general dislike 
of them. She told us, what we already knew, 
that Princess Victoria of Teck is called "May" 

1 "Mademoiselle, the Empress went to table so quickly that she 
did not present me to you. So you must excuse my not speaking 
to you before this, for, I am such a well brought up man, I did 
not dare to do so before the presentation." 

310 



LATER EVENTS 

In her family, while Prince Albert Victor of 
Wales is called "Eddie,"— CoZ/ar and Cuffs 
is his vulgar and popular name. The Prince 
Imperial was called "Lulu" until his seventh 
birthday, when the Emperor interfered, saying, 
"It is impossible in France for a man to make 
himself eminent having a ridiculous nickname." 
The name Plon-Plon, the Empress thought, did 
Prince Napoleon ^ more harm than any other 
thing outside of his own character. He gave it 
to himself as a child. 

Apropos of nicknames, the Empress continued 
with an amusing little scene she witnessed once 
at some races. It was a dialogue between the 
Princess Royal of England (Empress Frederick 
of Germany) and the Duchess of Edinburgh 
(daughter of the Czar). 

Duchess (very excitedly): "Vicky! 
Vicky! the opera glasses, quickly." Receiv- 
ing no answer: "Vicky, don't you hear?" 

Princess Royal: "I hear perfectly, but 
I am only 'Vicky' for Mama and my broth- 
ers." 

Duchess, with much emphasis and pique: 
"Oh, very well I will call you 'Royal High- 
ness' with pleasure, but you will be kind 
enough to call me 'Imperial Highness' !" 

iBorn 18^; died 1891. Son of Jerome, youngest brother of 
Napoleon I. 

311 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

Saturday, October 30. The Due de Morny 
and his bride (Senorita Guzman-Bianco) came 
to lunch. She is a perfectly lovely little creature 
and her father, who is president of Venezuela, is 
fabulously rich. M. le Baron de Varu accom- 
panied them, also a Mme. Serre, sister of Mme. 
de Saulcy, who visited here earlier in the season. 

The conversation today partly concerned 
Clotilde, Princesse de Savoie. She is the wife 
of Plon-Plon, daughter of Victor Emanuel, sis- 
ter of King Humbert of Italy and the Queen of 
Portugal. The Empress considers that Princess 
Clotilde missed her vocation, — she lives in the 
world the life of a nun and dresses like one. She 
gets up at five, and goes alone to church, carry- 
ing in winter a little lantern; visits the poor and 
is verj^ charitable; but with all that, she has a 
great deal of pride for the Maison de Savoie and 
is very particular about questions d'etiquette. 
The Empress thinks that had she dressed better, 
kept herself less apart, and been more a femme 
du monde she might have influenced Plon-Plon, 
her husband, a little for the good. Clotilde's hair 
is quite white, though she is only forty-three 
years old. It is thought probable that as soon 
as their daughter, Princess Letitia, marries, the 
mother will go into a convent. Princess Letitia 
is quite unhke her mother, very gay and bright, 
and they dote on her at the Italian court; she is 

ai2 



LATER EVENTS 

often at Monza, near Milan, where the royal 
family spends a great deal of its time. 

Prince Napoleon, the Empress added, strongly 
resembles the type of Napoleon I, but has not a 
good expression, — a man who is full of hatred, 
as he is, must show it in his face she thinks. He 
gives to Princess Letitia all the affection he fails 
to give his son, Prince Victor. Plon-Plon, the 
Empress says, with his republican ideas would 
willingly marry her to le jwemier venu, but her 
particular, aristocratic mother would not allow 
it.^ 

M. Chevreau told us about some of Letitia's 
pranks. She is a fine looking girl, tall and 
strong and full of life and mischief, and recently 
took away the breath of the King and Queen of 
Italy by appearing in the midst of a very cere- 
monious occasion at the races, bestriding a 
bicycle. This was in the early bicycle days be- 
fore ladies had begun to use them freely. She 
had quietly procured one, learned to ride it, 
sworn the courtiers to secrecy, and enjoyed the 
fun of shocking the court by her daring and un- 
expected proceeding. 

Monday, November 1. All Saints day. 
Went up to London with the Empress, M. Chev- 
reau and M. Pietri. I left them all at Waterloo 

1 Princess Letitia since married (1888) the Duke of Aosta. 

313 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

Station en route for Chislehurst, and went my- 
self to see G. Got back to the station in the 
late afternoon fifteen minutes too soon, but found 
the Empress and the two gentlemen already 
waiting there, the former very much t'red out, 
not being at all well now. 

Tuesday, November 2. All Souls day. 
Went to mass and Holy Communion with the 
Empress. I have not seen H. I. M. really alone 
for some days, and I must talk over my coming 
departure for Paris. Very nice letter from Mile. 
Henriette Conneau from Paris. Dr. Chepmell 
arrived to see the Empress again and dined here, 
leaving at 9:30 p. m. 

From a letter : 

Farnborough Hill, 
November 3, 1886. 
All the time we were walking up and down this 
evening after dinner, the Empress was im- 
pressing upon me the necessity of making a 
"budget," as she calls it, for the year, fixing the 
approximate sums I propose to spend for differ- 
ent needs and keeping scrupulously to them, put- 
ting the balance away regularly. H. I. M. says 
she is always anxious for young people to learn 
to plan according to their income and to save, be 
it ever so little, for a rainy day. She has given 

314 



LATER EVENTS 

me one of her own sheets of special foolscap, 
ruled for the months of the year, for receipts and 
expenditures, and has begged me to use it for 
her sake, which I certainly shall. She also means 
to give me un petit mot de sa part for her own 
homme d'affaires in Paris that I may not fail, 
as she says, to invest my petites economies safely 
and advantageously. M. Langlois is a clever 
and conscientious man, and will gladly advise 
me well and willingly for her sake. Is it not 
good of her to take such personal interest? She 
has advised me to take one or two small shares 
in the "Credit Foncier," which pays three and 
one half per cent., besides dividing the yearly sur- 
plus into a certain number of prizes. The gros 
lot is, I think, one hundred thousand francs and 
the Empress says, now that I am en bonne veine 
she has a strong presentiment I shall have good 
luck and gain something. She repeats and per- 
sists in saying this. How nice if I should. She 
has explained to me at great length the absolute 
security of the "Credit Foncier"; how wars even 
would only temporarily affect it, and then only 
the interest, not the capital. 

Wednesday, November 3. Dr. Scott called in 
the morning, and I sat and talked with him until 
the Empress came down to see him. The early 
afternoon slipped by while I was helping the 

315 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

Empress to take a pattern of some magnificent 
church work, — splendid old Spanish vestments. 
Later on that day, while driving with her alone 
and talking among other things about the out- 
break of cholera in Paris, in 1865, the Empress 
gave me an interesting account of her public 
visitation to the hospitals in the different cities 
that were most stricken. She usually went with 
a large retinue, but actually visited the patients 
by herself. The visiting was done not so much 
for the benefit of the poor sick patients, but to 
impress rather the minds of the timid people at 
large, and to give them courage. Her own cour- 
age did much good in that way and made them 
take heart. In fact the Empress considered it 
was an absolute necessity to prevent the public, 
— the nation, — from getting thoroughly demoral- 
ized with fear. The following is what happened 
during a certain visit to Amiens, one of the worst 
cholera centers that j^ear: 

The imperial party was met in the morning at 
the station by a deputation of priests and civil 
dignitaries and conducted in carriages to the Ca- 
thedral, where there was first a solemn service 
imploring God to remove the scourge. The Em- 
press then visited each of the hospitals, and after 
a little refreshment, started to return to Paris in 
the late afternoon. When she got back to the 
station she happened to ask where a certain very 

31G 



LATER EVENTS 

nice looking yoimg priest was, with whom she had 
talked in the morning, and who had particularly 
interested her by his zeal and intelligence. She 
saw they hesitated to answer her, and renewed 
her question. After vainly trying to spare her 
the knowledge, they had to admit at last that he 
was dead. He had succumbed to the epidemic 
soon after the interview with his sovereign, and 
from perfect health had been gathered in by 
death in that short interval. This was naturally 
rather a shock. 

While visiting a ward of the principal hospital 
that day, her attention was directed in the midst 
of all the terrible groans and screams to one man 
who was outdoing them all in noise. She went 
up to him and bending over the poor fellow, said : 
"What is the matter?" "Oh, Madame, I am 
suffering so terribly!" She saw by the placard 
over his bed that he was a soldier and she re- 
proached him, saying, "You a soldier, you ought 
to be able to bear pain better than that ! AUons, 
du courage ! ne mourrez pas ! Cramponnez-vous 
a la vie! " ^ She forgot the incident entirely, as 
it was only one of a great many other similar 
cases. Some months later, walking across the 
place du Carousel, a soldier came rather sheep- 
ishly forward. He saluted and then standing in 
front of her he hesitated, evidently deeply em- 

i"Come, have courage, do not die I Cling on to life!" 

317 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

barrassed, and not knowing how to begin his 
little speech. Thinking he wished some favor 
granted, she tried to help him out. At last, 
making a great effort, the soldier blurted out 
these words: "Madame, je me suis cramponne 
a la vie, et me voici. — Merci!" ^ — and then he 
fled. He was her noisy soldier of the cholera 
hospital at Amiens. 

The cholera reminiscences reminded the Em- 
press of another interesting case. In going 
through some other hospital at another time she 
saw a very strange phenomenon. The doctors 
showed her a woman who had imprinted on the 
iris of her eye, a very clear and exact representa- 
tion of a coin bearing the profile of Napoleon I. 
Much interested in tliis case, on questioning the 
woman, they found that shortly before her birth 
her father and mother had sustained great finan- 
cial losses, which had distressed and greatly pre- 
occupied the mother. When the baby was born, 
this strange phenomenon was noticed and has re- 
mained in evidence all her life. 

Thursday, November 4. I am writing this 
in the train on my way up to London, where I 
am going to pilot Mme. Le Breton about. At 
three o'clock we are going to the Mm-iettas' 

1 "Madame, I did cling on to life, and here I am. Thank you." 

318 



LATER EVENTS 

(IMarqiies Santurce) bank in the city, where 
JNIme. Le Breton has money matters to attend 
to. She has volunteered to broach the subject of 
my departure to the Empress this evening, if 
possible, so that I hope my plans may be defi- 
nitelj' made by tomorrow. The train is going so 
fast and shaking so dreadfully I cannot write 
any more. 

Thursday, November 4. At 6 P. m., M. Pietri 
and M. Chevreau returned from London, bring- 
ing with them the Duque de Alva, who is coming 
to spend the night at Farnborough Hill. M. 
Chevreau's presence here brought out in the eve- 
ning many reminiscences, while sitting around the 
big table in the grand salon playing jeux de 'pa- 
tience. The Empress was telling about travels 
in Switzerland and reminded M. Chevreau about 
the story of a Greek gentleman, Mr. Carnelgie, 
whom they met and who used to join them in 
their walks. One day they came to a brook with 
stepping-stones. M. Chevreau's father was be- 
hind the Empress, Carnelgie in front. The lat- 
ter offered her his hand to help her across. 
When they were in the very middle of the brook 
with the water rushing on both sides, he surprised 
her with a formal declaration. He said to her: 
"Je t'adore." Between her fear that Chevreau 
would overhear the nonsense, and her dread of 

319 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

letting go Carnelgie's hand and falling into the 
water, she was in a vei^^ unpleasant position. 
She had already invited Carnelgie to dinner, so 
there was nothing to do but let him come, and he 
arrived jauntily bringing a guitar. After the 
meal he got out his instrument and began singing 
love-songs, and at night he walked up and down 
in front of her windows. The next day Chev- 
reau told him he must go away, and he went 
obediently. He turned up again in Paris, how- 
ever, struck up a great intimacy with one of the 
grooms, who let him know privately concerning 
matters at the Tuileries. The groom informed 
him of the fact that there were painters in the 
house, so Carnelgie disguised himself as a painter 
and got in. He was soon discovered and dis- 
missed again, but was not at all discouraged in 
his efforts. Nothing daunted, he next went to 
Pepita, the Empress's Spanish maid, and talked 
her over to his side, by telling her he had a letter 
from a condemned man which was very urgent, 
and that he must see the Empress. Pepita, quite 
convinced, carried the letter and gave it to the 
Empress, who on opening it found it was a love- 
letter with a picture of two doves cooing. After 
this last amatory effort, he was taken home to 
an asylum in Greece. The poor man is now 
dead. 

The Empress and INI. Chevreau told each 
820 




INTERIOR OF MEMORIAL CHURCH, FARNBOROUGH 



LATER EVENTS 

other a lot of funny incidents and anecdotes 
about a Countess Ratazzi, and then came this 
strange story about Comtesse Potocka. 

A lady presented herself one day at the Tui- 
leries and begged and implored to see la dame de 
service. That week it happened to be the turn 
of Mme. de la Poesse, who went down to the 
salon set apart for interviews and found a strange 
looking but very beautiful woman robed in a 
long black velvet dress reaching almost to her 
feet. She was in a very excited state. She told 
her story to Mme. de la Poesse and begged very 
hard to see the Emperor. This was refused. 
She said she thought the Emperor had it in his 
power to force Comte Potocki (who held a posi- 
tion in the imperial household) to keep his prom- 
ise of marriage with her. She was a Parisienne 
by birth but of no family, and had set her heart 
on marrying Comte Potocki, who was a mere 
acquaintance of hers. She had proposed the 
match to him, but he refused, saying his Polish 
pride could not allow him to marry her. 

"But if I were of a family hke yourself, then 
would you marry me?" she asked. He answered 
in jest, "Certainly, — then," thinking that would 
give a quietus to the matter. The beautiful sup- 
phant then went away and disappeared alto- 
gether from Paris for some years. Comte Po- 
tocki had quite forgotten her existence, when one 

321 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

day she returned, went to see him and claimed 
his promise, saying that she was now "Comtesse 
Potocka." He professed his incredulity and 
again refused to marry her, and hence her visit 
to the Tuileries to plead her cause with the Em- 
peror and induce him to force the Comte to keep 
the letter of his word. 

This is what had happened during the inter- 
vening years. Having heard by chance of the 
existence of an old Comte Potocki, an invalid, 
and paralyzed, living in Dresden, she determined 
to make use of him to gain her end. She got 
herself introduced, said she had heard of his sad 
case and was much interested in it as she had 
wonderful natural powers of curing paralysis. 
She explained that in her long hair there was a 
quantity of electricity that she could apply to 
his cure; and she felt sure she should be success- 
ful. She induced him to let her take up her 
abode in the house and made herself so indis- 
pensable in every way, that he became much at- 
tached to her and finally adopted her in due legal 
form. She became in this way a "Potocki," and 
at the old man's death two years later, she in- 
herited from him with a fortune the title also of 
Comtesse. Armed with this she returned to 
France to claim a husband earned by her clever- 

822 



LATER EVENTS 

ness, though not by her straightforward dealing. 
The sequel of this strange story is not known. 

From a letter : 

Farnborough Hill, 
November 6, 1886. 

I shall very likely leave here Monday, but as 
yet I do not know definitely. As I told you I 
spent the whole day yesterday in the Empress's 
sitting-room, so I had no time to think about my 
packing. Now I must finish this hurriedly and 
get some of it done before lunch, as afterward 
the Empress will probably want me to be with 
her again, — and besides the Marquis de Bassano 
and his wife are coming to lunch. 

I will tell you all about the Duque de Alva's 
visit of yesterday when we meet, which I hope 
will now be soon. The Empress's visit to Wind- 
sor is put off, as she is not well, and fears the 
cold and drafts which the Queen so dearly loves, 
and which are almost death to everyone less 
strong. Her doctor has forbidden her going out 
until the fifteenth, so that simplifies matters be- 
tween her and the Queen. All this will change 
the plans for Italy, which vexes her very much. 

Talking of the cold at Windsor the Empress 
dilated at some length concerning the Queen's 
love of it and the low temperature that she could 

323 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

stand, being entirely comfortable while others 
were freezing. When together in Scotland at 
Balmoral, or Abergeldie, they used to go out to 
drive in the afternoons, and it was an ordinary 
practice to take a tea-basket out in the carriage 
with them. At a certain hour the carriage was 
halted, John Brown or some other attendant 
made the tea, and the grooms stood at the horses' 
heads while the tea was drunk. The Empress 
said she not infrequently saw flakes of snow fall- 
ing into her cup. She did not enjoy it, but the 
Queen did. Her Majesty evidently believes in 
the survival of the fittest. 

Balmoral Castle being small, the Queen pro- 
vides a little feudal lodge at Abergeldie for her 
guests. It is connected by telephone with the 
main castle building. The Empress said that 
one day on a former visit in accordance with the 
usual habit of the royal family, arrangements 
were constantly being changed, and they were 
telephoning over to inquire whether she would 
come over to the castle or whether the Queen 
should call on her. The telephone was a novelty 
at that time, and people were unaccustomed to 
its use. The Empress in her sitting-room, not 
far from the telephone, was discussing freely with 
Mme. de Arcos the pros and cons of the visit, say- 
ing, "Oh no, I don't think I want to go, — I don't 
feel quite well," when to her surprise she heard 

32^ 



LATER EVENTS 

a laughing voice: "I hear you auntie, I hear 
all you say!" It was the Princess Beatrice at 
the other end. After that they were more cir- 
cumspect in their remarks. 

Sunday, November 7. Dr. Scott called at 
afternoon tea time and the Empress asked him to 
stay to dinner as it was to be my last evening 
here, and he did. 

Monday, November 8. M. Detailleur arrived 
in the morning to see how the building of the 
monastery was progressing. After lunch I went 
with much regret to the Empress's room to say 
goodby to her. She was most gracious and af- 
fectionate to me, as indeed she always has been 
and especially in these last intimate months. 
After talking a little while, she went to a drawer 
of her writing-table and took out some photo- 
graphs. She chose one among a good many, 
saying, "Je vous en donnerai une du temps ou 
j'^tais mieux qu'^ present [I will give you one 
of a period when I was better looking than at 
present]." She then sat down at her desk and 
put her autograph to it, and also at my request 
wrote her name in my birthday -book. This was 
a very great thing for her to do, as she has a 
horror of giving her signature, especially on a 
photograph. After the experiences she told me 

325 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

about, and the wicked abuse that had resulted in 
a similar case, I quite understood her general 
reluctance. 

I sat with her there some time while she held 
my hand in hers and talked very intimately and 
affectionately. Then, when the relentless clock 
showed me it was really time to make a move, I 
arose and thanked her again for all her kindness 
to me. I said goodby once more, bending over 
her hand and raising it to my lips in the usual 
manner, but she folded me right into her arms, 
held me there as though reluctant to let me go, 
and kissed me warmly on both cheeks. She 
wished me all good luck and happiness in Paris, 
and she pressingly invited me to return to Farn- 
borough on my very first opportunity, telling me 
with one of her winning smiles that I should al- 
ways be welcome wherever she was. The car- 
riage was waiting at the door to take me and 
Mme. Le Breton, who accompanied me to the 
station, and at 3:30 I left the house, deeply re- 
gretting that these intensely interesting months 
were over. 

In regard to my stay with her, I can state 
about the Empress with all sincerity and appro- 
priateness, exactly what, after painting a portrait 
of Her Majesty, Mme. Vigee-Lebrun wrote in 
her Memoirs of Queen Marie Antoinette : 

1 A translation of the original entitled Souvenir*. 

326 



LATER EVENTS 

"Je ne crois pas, que la Reine Marie Antoin- 
ette ait jamais manque I'occasion de dire une 
chose agreable a ceux qui avaient I'honneur de 
I'approcher, et la bonte qu'elle m'a tou jours te- 
moignee est un de mes plus doux souvenirs." ^ 

1 "I do not think that Queen Marie Antoinette ever once missed 
an opportunity of saying an agreeable thing to those who had 
the honor of approaching her, and the kindness she always showed 
me is one of my tenderest recollections." 



»27 



PART V 

REMINISCENCES OF EMPRESS EUGENIE*. HEE 
CHARACTERISTICS AND IDIOSYNCRACIES 

In the preceding pages I have recorded a per- 
sonal view of Eugenie, Empress of the French, 
while in exile, with a background of previous 
events based on a diary and letters, and much of 
it in her own words. In the following pages, I 
draw on my recollections and with the help of 
my records offer a further intimate picture of 
the Empress as I now see her in perspective. 

When I first really made her acquaintance, 
in February 1886, three months before her six- 
tieth birthday, she still retained a great deal of 
her former beauty.^ Her hair at that period 

1 The Empress told us that as a child she was not considered 
at all beautiful as compared to her more brilliant sister. She 
was even painfully self-conscious of her own supposed mental 
and physical deficiencies, and was especially ashamed of the 
color of her hair (that beautiful wealth of reddish gold, that 
courtiers later on raved about and poets sang,) which she said 
people called red. Her nieces told me they had heard it repeat- 
edly asserted in Madrid that at that period Eugenie was plain 
aLnost to ugliness. 

328 



REMINISCENCES 

had turned a lovely gray, — she wore it dressed 
rather high, and with little soft curls just touch- 
ing her forehead. Her face was very pale, her 
eyes drooping and sad, with the slightest sugges- 
tion of black under the edge of the hds. Above 
the average height, she was stately, and had a 
fine figure ; a well-poised head ; a face full of ex- 
pression; beautiful shoulders and arms; and a 
shapely tapering hand. She was suffering that 
winter from rheumatism and limped slightly as 
a consequence, but when I saw her later (in the 
summer of 1897) she seemed to have entirely re- 
covered from her lameness, had discarded her 
stick, and walked into the room as firmly and 
upright as if she had been ten years younger, 
rather than eight years older, since our last meet- 
ing, and had never known a day's sorrow or sick- 
ness.^ To me her most striking characteristic 
was her great personal charm, which she was not 
at all unwilling to make use of, and this very 

iMme. Lef^vre, in a letter to me dated July 26, 1901, said of 
her former sovereign: "During the two occasions each year in 
which I see Her Majesty, I remain a long time with her; we talk 
of the past and of those things that are gone. I saw her in the 
month of June, and she was extremely well and truly beautiful; 
it has been a long time since I found her so well. Her carriage is 
superb, and she has taken on again an air of youth, which her 
long sickness had effaced ; she has even flashes of gaiety." 

329 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

cordial, winning manner caused any precon- 
ceived ideas of an unpleasant nature to fall to 
the ground immediately. No one could ap- 
proach the Empress with prejudices and keep 
them five minutes, — everybody in turn fell a vic- 
tim. 

But with all her sweetness she knew how to 
hold her own. Any indiscreet pushing forward 
of an individual particularly angered the ex- 
sovereign, who, when occasion justified it, could 
become freezingly cold and distant, making the 
intruder feel that Eugenie was the wrong per- 
son with whom to take liberties. She had, too, 
a most unmistakable fagon de congedier which 
there was no gainsaying. When in her estima- 
tion the subject matter of an interview was over, 
and she wished you to go, — you went, whoever 
you were. She simply rose, bowed and put out 
her hand in a charmingly compelling manner. 
Untutored English strangers grasped it ; French 
people lifted it gently, and bending over kissed 
it silently before retiring. 

Bom in a garden in Granada, May 5, 1826, 
during an earthquake which forced her mother 
to quit the family dwelling, Eugenie's life of 

330 



REMINISCENCES 

strange ups and downs of fortune, opening thus 
not inappropriately, remained during its whole 
course a veritable kaleidoscope of rapid and un- 
foreseen changes. 

Her character was impetuous and thoroughly 
Spanish in numberless ways. I should not call 
her a great woman, but a most interesting one, 
full of strange contradictory traits. She seemed 
by temperament naturally gay and hght-hearted, 
but with a touch of serious earnestness, and an 
underlying sadness, which came quickly to the 
surface if anything reminded her of her dead son. 
She talked frequently to me of her shattered 
nerves, and the ample notes I took of interesting 
conversation bring back to me many things the 
Empress said then about her health. She often 
repeated in my hearing, that she very certainly 
could never have withstood all the strain, the 
shocks, and even hunger and privations of all 
kinds, during her various hard experiences, had 
it not been for her early bringing up. The 
Spartan training of her childhood alone had 
saved her, she was convinced, from complete 
physical and mental breakdown both during and 
after her many troubles. 

331 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

She told us much at different times about her 
own and her sister's early days. Count Montijo, 
their father, was an old soldier who had fought 
all through the Napoleonic wars, and was at that 
period military governor of a fortified town in 
southern Spain, and a regular martinet in his 
family. He did not allow his daughters the lux- 
ury of stockings; summer and winter they went 
without, wearing boots only. Not wishing to 
have timid, namby-pamby daughters, he resorted 
to extreme measures. Sometimes he put Eu- 
genie and her sister Fran^oise astride of a can- 
non on the ramparts of the citadel, which was 
then fired off. If the children cried or winced, 
they were subjected to the ordeal a second and 
even a third time. For the same ethical reason 
of training, though the family possessed numer- 
ous horses, and the many gala coaches customary 
for grandees of Spain, the Empress told me she 
never once during her whole girlhood entered a 
carriage, except for traveling purposes. How- 
ever snowy, cold or wet, she and her sister, neither 
of them very rugged, always trudged everywhere 
on foot. When the time came for them to make 
their First Communion (1837), they spent a 

332 



REMINISCENCES 

preparatory month in the convent of the "Sacr^ 
Coeur" in Paris, and schoolgirls being the same 
the world over, their companions teased these 
new-comers mimercifully for not wearing stock- 
ings, such an unusual state of things that their 
small brains naturally could not fathom it. Eu- 
genie's really simple tastes during her whole life 
(quite contrary to her reputation), can appar- 
ently be explained by her bringing up and frugal 
way of living as a girl at home. She certainly 
thought so herself. 

At his brother's death in 1834, her father, the 
Conde de Teba, inherited the title of Monti jo,^ 
also much property and a goodly fortune, but 
the parents of the future Empress nevertheless 
continued their modest way of hving, and brought 
up their children with the idea of judiciously 
using but not wasting their means. So when 
Eugenie and Fran^oise (afterwards Duchess of 
Alva) were a little older, the Condesa gave to 
each of these young daughters a small dress al- 

1 Traveling in Switzerland with her in 1887 and later years, her 
nieces told me she kept the curious at bay by appearing on the 
hotel register sometimes as Condesa Montijo or Condesa dc Teba; 
at other times as Marquesa de Moya or Palafox, or again as 
Comtesse de Pierrefonds. Of these many titles the latter waa most 
generally used by her. 

333 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

lowance. This is how she early acquired the idea 
of making a certain fixed sum do, a habit which 
she claimed she adhered to rigidly during her 
entire reign and also afterwards. Without 
economy and ingenuity there would have been 
little or no margin for the girls' menu plaisirs, 
and so to make their rather inadequate allowance 
go further, they were forced to do much for them- 
selves. They always, for instance, trimmed their 
own hats and bonnets, and their busy needles and 
skilful fingers fashioned a great many of their 
clothes besides. This was just what the mother 
wished to achieve. 

In spite of the wonderful innate power of 
adapting herself to changed circumstances, of 
throwing herself into her surroundings, which 
the Empress evidently must always have pos- 
sessed to a remarkable degree, she admitted that 
she naturally had to live through some trying 
times on first coming to the throne. 

Talking one evening of the early days after 
her marriage, and her inevitable loneHness, the 
Empress told us that from the royal box at the 
opera, while looking wearily down on the sea of 
heads below, she one night recognized in the 

334. 



REMINISCENCES 

audience people known to her in Spain, and last 
seen only a short time previously. In her im- 
pulsive delight at perceiving familiar faces, she 
entirely forgot who she now was and where, and 
began waving, kissing her hand to them vigor- 
ously in true Spanish fashion. Then suddenly 
noticing the Emperor's cold eye fixed on her, 
she remembered and checked herself. On re- 
turning to the Tuileries she was gently repri- 
manded and told (what of course she already 
thoroughly realized) that she must refrain from 
that kind of thing hereafter. 

"Je me sentais si seule, si isolee," the Empress 
once said, "en rentrant apres ma promenade en 
voiture journaliere, dans ces apartements de 
Palais enormes et peu meubles. Tons les jours 
dans les premiers temps je pleurais en secret; 
Pepita avait souvent les yeux rouges aussi, et 
bien des fois dans notre abandon, nous nous jet- 
tions dans les bras I'une de I'autre, pour pleurer 
a I'aise loin des regards de tons." ^ 

1 " A sense of loneliness and isolation used to take possession 
of me, when after the daily drive I returned to the huge and 
formally furnished apartments of the Palace. In those first days 
I used invariably to shed a few secret tears. Pepita I often found 
with red eyes too, and many a time in our desolation we threw 
ourselves into each other's arms to weep unrestrainedly, far away 
from all prying glances." 

335 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

P6pita was bright and capable in many ways, 
though ignorant and narrow-minded, but showed 
an ahnost oriental devotion to her mistress. She 
had jfilled the position of ladies' maid ever since 
Eugenie's girlhood, when as an uneducated peas- 
ant she first entered the household of the Con- 
desa Monti jo. This serving-woman, living at 
the Tuileries, was at this time the one and only 
link the Empress retained with the past. By the 
exigencies of her new position Eugenie was of 
course absolutely isolated from all her friends. 
She had nobody about her with whom she could 
imbend, or be in the least familiar. Her cour- 
tiers, many of them charming men and women, 
were however chosen for state reasons, and all 
were new to her at first, and she herself so hedged 
round with numerous barriers of etiquette, that 
even had it been permissible they could not have 
filled for her the gap made by the absence of her 
old friends. The bitter had to be accepted with 
the sweet. 

The Empress once told me what an ordeal she 
foimd the court reception du Jour de VAn, espe- 
cially at first. After the imperial party re- 
turned from assisting at High Mass in the court 

336 




THE EMPRESS AND THE PRINCE IMPERIAL 



REMINISCENCES 

chapel, each 1st of January, all the members of 
the Bonaparte family and all the ladies and gen- 
tlemen of the imperial household, whether it 
was their semaine de service or not, assembled 
for solemn New Year greetings. Making her 
way slowly round the room, she had to shake 
hands with all the men, speak a friendly nothing 
to each, kiss the ladies, and say a pleasant appro- 
priate word to them as well. To be unconscious 
of the keen relentless criticism of her husband's 
family was often harder for her at such times 
than any public criticism might be. The prac- 
tice of having seasonable little nothings on the 
tip of her tongue on all occasions for so many 
years had, I noticed, very evidently borne its 
fruit, for during the months I spent with her at 
Farnborough the Empress showed herself a 
wonderful adept in this particular art, — always 
knew just the right thing to say, just the proper 
topic to touch on, or on which to be silent. Her 
memory and tact in this regard were remark- 
able. 

Though strong physically, enjoying a splen- 
did appetite and the ability often denied a 
younger woman, of walking hours at a stretch, 

337 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

the Empress in 1886 was still severely feeling 
the nervous reaction from her sorrows and the 
terrible events of 1870 and 1879. She passed 
restless nights, waked constantly with horrid 
nightmares, and enacted over again in dreams 
some of the tragic scenes of her life. The many 
physicians consulted declared she had a consti- 
tution of iron, that her organs were absolutely 
perfect, and that only her nerves were at fault. 
Small wonder at this after all she had gone 
through! But in spite of the doctors' diagnoses 
she nevertheless continued to fancy herself at- 
tacked by every malady under the sun. She did 
not, however, dread death itself. "J'ai trop 
d'etres aimes qui m'attendent la-bas dans I'autre 
monde," she often said, "pour que je craigne d'y 
aller," adding, "C'est la foi seule qui donne le 
courage de mourir." ^ 

Eugenie expressed a perfect craving for sun- 
shine and the brightness and warmth of the sunny 
South. In her depressed state the dull sunless 
Enghsh winters tried her very much.^ Concern- 

1" There are too many loved ones awaiting me there in the 
other world," she often said, " for me to dread going," adding, " It 
is Faith alone that gives one the courage to die." 

a She later bought land at Cap Martin, Alpes Maritimes, not 

338 



REMINISCENCES 

ing her unhappy, restless state of mind and her 
projets de voyage for the immediate future, she 
once remarked: *'Je suis comme un corps sans 
ame. Aussitot arrivee j 'ai hate de partir de nou- 
veau. Helas! comme je suis changed Autre- 
fois je faisais des itineraires de voyage, pour le 
seul plaisir de les faire; j'allais en imagination 
aux Indes, au Pole Nord, — n'importe ou, tout 
etait indique, meme les heures, et je savais bien 
pourtant que jamais je ne pourrais realiser ces 
reves! — Mais, cela m'amusait!" ^ 

Referring one day to nervous fear, the Em- 
press recalled with some amazement that during 
the twenty years of her reign she had experienced 
not the least feeling of apprehension, in spite of 
four attentats. On driving daily out of the 
Tuileries gates, Eugenie never knew if she would 
reenter them alive, but still she did not dwell on 
dangers, though so continually surrounded by 
them. Their very frequency, she observed, 

far from Mentone and Monte Carlo, and built a delightful villa, 
"Cyrnos," where she spent the winter months. 

1 " I am like a soulless body, — nothing pleases me now. Alas, 
how I have changed ! Formerly I planned itineraries for the sole 
pleasure of dreaming over such imaginary journeys, — to India, 
to the North Pole, anywhere in fact,— with hours and practical 
details all worked out, though I knew perfectly well that I should 
never be able to realize my dreams. — But it amused me." 

339 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

seemed at the time to bkmt her to the sense of 
their reahty, and though she was often much 
lauded for her wonderful courage, she consid- 
ered there was no real merit in being undismayed 
by danger in those days when she was physically 
strong. Real fear only came to her after many 
distressing experiences had weakened her nerves. 
"At present [1886]," I quote her from my own 
notes as saying, "on the slightest pretext I al- 
ways apprehend the worst about everything ; con- 
jure up in my imagination terrible scenes of fire, 
disaster, etc." She told us later about certain 
foolhardy risks she had formerly taken in her 
disdain of fear. In one instance in particular, 
I remember, she had lighted lamps put inside the 
state carriage with its many windows, thereby 
unnecessarily courting danger in troublous times. 
In the days of the Empire when her pubhc 
day's work was done, after going to her bed- 
room and dismissing her maids, the Empress 
told me it was her custom every night to read 
through the reports of the secret police service. 
This was certainly not very soothing or appro- 
priate to the late hour, but by nightly plodding 
through these lengthy documents she was en- 

840 



REMINISCENCES 

abled several times to avert disaster, notably once 
when she saved the life of the Czar of Russia 
when returning from the opera. This was on 
the eve of a subsequent attempt to shoot him on 
the way back from the races at Longchamps in 
the summer of 1869. It had been arranged that 
the Czar and the imperial party should separate 
after the performance, each with their suites go- 
ing direct to their respective dwellings. The 
Empress, however, through the secret service got 
wind of a plan to assassinate the Czar that par- 
ticular night, and made a change in the pre- 
arranged program, she herself bravely taking 
him home to the Elysee Palace in her own bril- 
hantly lighted carriage. When arrested, Bere- 
zowski, the Pole, confessed that when he saw a 
woman accompanying his would-be victim, he de- 
cided to postpone his plan until next day.^ 

The Empress always expressed an utter scorn 
and no mercy for physical cowardice, but her nat- 
ural sympathy made her kind and even tender to 
those who were really suffering. Conversely, 
she approved of endurance to physical pain, and 

1 Berezowski's design was again frustrated and the Czar again 
shielded, this time by the courage and devotion of M. Rainbeaux, 
the Emperor's Master of the Horse. 

341 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

explained how years ago she often herself suf- 
fered much, without being able of course to give 
way to it. She recalled one special evening, 
while being dressed for some great court func- 
tion. Tired out by the effort of many hours' 
resistance to violent pain, and literally unable 
to bear it any longer, she finally got down on 
the floor and rolled in a paroxysm of agony for 
a minute, — then making a supreme effort at self- 
control again sat up stoically in her chair, while 
her maids dressed her hair and adjusted her heavj'- 
diadem, all the while feeling more dead than alive. 
At such times it was that her early training stood 
her in good stead. She was enabled through it 
to pull herself together, go smilingly downstairs 
to the tedious state ceremony, and behave as if 
nothing were wrong. She offered this experi- 
ence as an example of what will-power and ne- 
cessity can do for one. 

Real love of music, excepting perhaps a most 
superficial kind, had been left out of the French 
Empress, I think, in spite of the drooping eye- 
lids generally supposed to be indicative of musi- 
cal temperament and ability, — but, on the other 
hand, her literary and artistic tastes were 

342 



REMINISCENCES 

strongly developed. She drew, and painted in 
water colors artistically, and embroidered most 
beautifully. 

Speaking about Sevres china, while showing 
us some, she said: "Je m'y connais bien, ayant 
ete marchande, pour ainsi dire, pendant tant 
d'annees, car I'Empereur m'avait donne la per- 
mission de surveiller les travaux, de commander 
les cadeaux, et de faire copier les beaux modeles 
pour les palais." ^ During her regime they al- 
ternately employed as director of the celebrated 
factory an artist and a chemist, to keep up the 
balance between art and craft. Just before the 
Franco-Prussian War a dinner service had been 
ordered for the Palais de Fontainebleau. The 
design being copied was from a very fine old set 
of the reign of Henri II. Unfinished when hos- 
tilities broke out, the Germans among other 
things took possession of this imcompleted set. 
Years later, when making a visit to the Due de 
Bade, the Empress got quite a turn, at seeing 
this lovely service placed before her on the din- 

1 " I understand it well as I have been in the business, so to 
speak, for many years, for the Emperor had given me permission 
to supervise the working of the factories, to order the official gifts, 
and to have the most beautiful specimens copied for the different 
palaces." 

343 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

ner table. The Duke of Hamilton/ by the way, 
bought one piece (and that a broken one) of the 
same set for the enormous sum of 50,000 francs 
to add to his collection. 

The Empress showed always a tremendous ad- 
miration, a veneration even, for the heroes of her 
native land. Her mind fired by the thrilling 
tales of Spain told her by Prosper Merimee, she 
often fancied herself emulating their chivalrous 
deeds even from her earliest infancy, and spoke 
of them with great enthusiasm. She knew the 
history of Spain most thoroughly and was al- 
ways indignant and shocked when her com- 
patriots were not equally well posted. 

Great care about the cleanliness of her hands 
was a little idiosyncracy of hers, though not 
afraid to use them freely, and very dexterous in 
everything she undertook with them. She 
laughed at me because I outdid her in this re- 
spect and predicted that I would rub my hands 
to pieces. She was perfectly sure, moreover, that 
when I went to Purgatory, one of my trials 
there would be a total deprivation of soap and 
water. 

1 Duchess of Hamilton had been Princesse Marie de Bade. 



REMINISCENCES 

As I knew the Empress she seemed to have a 
quick, restless, insatiable mind, welcomed any 
new interest, and worked very hard (in self-de- 
fense, she said) as the best means to guard 
against sad memories, which would otherwise ob- 
trude themselves. Fond of literature, she kept 
up with all current French writing, which she 
talked over and criticized in a clear, analytical 
manner. 

Naturally industrious by habit, she rarely sat 
with her hands idle before her, but filled up odd 
moments puzzhng out jeua: de patience, or busily 
clicking her knitting needles. She was very fond 
of making simple woolen "charity -jackets," 
which she often gave to friends, or wore herself 
on chilly mornings. One she knitted for me, and 
I regret the thoughtless stupidity which allowed 
me to give it away some months after, when dis- 
posing of clothing no longer in actual use. 

Many hours every day my hostess usually 
spent by herself in her salon de travail, arrang- 
ing and classifying her interesting historical docu- 
ments, or attending to her enormous correspond- 
ence. The Empress always opened all letters 
herself and laid them in different piles according 

345 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

to their nature, throwing away the envelopes. 
She then read all the communications through 
carefully, making marginal notes, — "Accept," 
"Refuse," or "Investigate." Thus sorted, these 
missives were divided up between her secretary, 
M. Franceschini Pietri and her faithful friend 
and companion, Mme. Le Breton. He attended 
to the business letters, and she answered the so- 
cial ones and all kinds of personal communica- 
tions from friends, besides special appeals and 
begging letters, which poured in daily in great 
quantities. 

Sometimes when there were letters, which for 
some special reason the Empress had to answer 
in English, she would ask me to read them over 
and correct them. This was not an agreeable 
task, for when I showed her the mistakes she did 
not relish it, and argued the subject in question 
from an absolutely foreign point of view. When 
I found, that in spite of all I could urge, she 
really held very much to her own opinion, I 
modified my standard of correction, not attempt- 
ing to Anglicize more than was absolutely neces- 
sary for the plain understanding of the sentences, 

346 



\ 

REMINISCENCES 

and purposely overlooking finer points she evi- 
dently could not or would not grasp. 

To sovereigns she always penned her letters 
herself, but very few others, so it was a most 
exceptional honor to receive a letter written in 
her own hand, and she was always (and with 
ample cause) very chary of her signature. To 
Queen Victoria and Princess Beatrice she wrote 
frequently, and always in French, and the Prin- 
cess's answers were addressed to Ma chere Tante. 
French was the tongue usually spoken at Fam- 
borough,' but the Empress sometimes whispered 
httle asides to me in English, or to Mme. Le 
Breton in Spanish. Eugenie's language was 
flowing and elegant, and her pronmiciation 
charming, but there were certain French words 
to which she gave a decidedly harsh Spanish in- 
tonation. English she spoke exactly hke a for- 
eigner, often using thoroughly French idioms. 
One would never have dreamed that she had 

1 In conversation with the Empress we always answered her, 
"Oui, Madame," or " Non, Madame." In questioning we used 
the third person, thus: " Sa Majest6 d^sire-t-elle te le ou telle 
chose?" or "L'lmp^ratrice sait-elle que . . .?"-usual forms of 
speech which I found extremely difficult to remember and to adjust 
myself to during the first days at Farnborough. 

347 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

spent so many years of her life since 1870 in 
England, and had as a girl been at school for a 
time at Taunton, and had in addition inherited 
through her mother's father, William Kirkpat- 
rick (1764-1837), much English and Scottish 
blood. 

Her love and habit of being amiable, and say- 
ing pleasant things, made her instinctively shirk 
disagreeable situations. When some unpleasant 
duty (a refusal or anything of that nature) be- 
came necessary, she rarely undertook the task 
herself; it generally fell to the lot of Mme. Le 
Breton or M. Pietri. In a word, she hated to 
be annoyed or coerced, and in order to get out 
of a difficulty without facing tiresome situations, 
she often made use of slight subterfuges, which 
seemed, perhaps, more ingenious than strictly 
direct. 

Eugenie genuinely loved nature, out-of-door 
life and exercise, and was fond of horses and big 
dogs in their proper sphere. Fern, the Scotch 
collie given her by the Queen, was a great fa- 
vorite; but she disliked spoiled house-pets in- 
tensely. In speaking one day with much disap- 
proval of women who devote themselves body 

348 



REMINISCENCES 

and soul to their pets, she told us with evident 
disgust about Comtesse F.'s white donkey, which 
its mistress actually kept in her Paris drawing- 
room in a secluded corner behind a gilded rail- 
ing, and was cared for unceasingly by a brilliantly 
robed Egyptian attendant. 

The Empress, naturally enough, liked to be 
well thought of, but there was often apparent a 
queer mixture of strong innate independence of 
character with what might have seemed a rather 
weak and meaningless deference to public opin- 
ion, had one not realized that she was even in 
her exile the representative of a great cause, 
which she might injure by any injudicious act. 
Obliged as she had been, when on the throne, 
to respect public opinion, the habit seemed to 
have clung to her, very much hampering her 
freedom of action. There were many things 
she would have enjoyed doing, but although in 
1886 French opinion could have been of abso- 
lutely no practical importance to her, she still 
could not bring herself to ignore it. Here is an 
example: One day passing through the gallery 
leading to the chapel, we were looking at some 
pictures on the walls, a series representing differ- 

349 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

ent battleships. Beside them was an engraving 
of the Imperial yacht, UAigle, In front of this 
the Empress paused suddenly, and pointing to 
it said rather sadly, "Voila, mes enfants, de tous 
les biens materiels, ce que je regrette le plus. 
C'est meme la seule chose, je puis dire [Of all 
my lost possessions, this is what I regret most, — 
indeed, I may say the only thing I regret]." 
She constantly referred to her yacht, and to her 
great wish to go cruising about from place to 
place indefinitely. In her restless condition, that 
would have seemed to her the height of bliss. 
Some one remarked on one occasion, that it was 
quite within her power to do this, and asked 
her why, with such an insatiable longing for that 
kind of life, she did not buy a yacht. She re- 
plied that the French people would never under- 
stand a woman's choosing the sea without neces- 
sity. They would put her down at once as un- 
balanced, and though she knew it was foolish to 
mind what they thought, she could not help be- 
ing sensitive to it.^ Then she added thought- 

1 In 1896 she evidently steeled her mind against herself, since 
M. Pietri wrote me, rejoicing that she had bought the R. Y. S. 

350 



REMINISCENCES 

fully, and with a little arch look and almost im- 
perceptible smile: "Quand on a toujours du 
penser a I'opinion j^ublique, on ne pent plus s'en 
emanciper, et on devient a la longue comme une 
vielle coquette, qui continue jusqu'a la fin a co- 
quetter!"' 

When Eugenie went about with us, where the 
public could see her, she very much disliked be- 
ing followed and stared at, as was invariably the 
case. Still I think that in her innermost heart, 
had people not recognized her, or had they been 
indifferent to her presence, she would not have 
relished that either. 

The Empress constantly condemned the love 
of display which young people indulge in nowa- 
days, regardless of their often limited incomes. 
She hated also extravagance, and eccentricity of 
all kinds. Her greatest fear was to be thought 
exaggerated or affected. She so disliked these 
traits in others that I noticed she herself some- 

Thistle, a steam-yacht belonging to the Duke of Hamilton, and 
that an improvement in her health had resulted immediately. 

'1 "When one always has had to take into consideration public 
opinion, one can no longer emancipate oneself from it, and one 
becomes in the end, like the old coquette, who continues to flirt 
to the end of her days." 

351 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

times gave up doing little kindly acts, which sug- 
gested themselves spontaneously, because they 
might have seemed forced or unreal. 

She was very methodical and orderly in all 
household and business matters, and in fact in 
everything, and was also most punctual, and nat- 
urally liked everybody else to live up to her own 
standards. An excellent head for arithmetic, 
and loving on the slightest provocation to work 
out mental calculations, she kept a quick intelli- 
gent interest, too, in all that was going on in the 
political and scientific world, and through the 
papers and most up to date literature, followed 
everything as far as possible. She had evidently, 
however, no deep scientific knowledge, though at 
first one might have been misled into thinking so. 
This was due, I fancy, to her wonderful power of 
quick assimilation. At the Tuileries she had 
been long in contact with the minds of all the 
great thinkers of France and Europe; she was a 
good listener with a retentive memory, and be- 
ing a brilliant talker besides, she unconsciously 
gave out as her own what she had absorbed from 
other brains, thus impressing her casual hearers 
with what seemed to be the result of her own 

852 



REMINISCENCES 

thought. After a time, by close observation and 
comparison, the superficial nature of her science 
came to light. This judgment of mine was cor- 
roborated by Mme. Le Breton, who in twenty- 
five years of the closest intimacy, had learned to 
know Her Imperial Mistress through and 
through. 

The Empress had a most agreeable way of 
telling things, but her statements may possibly 
have been sometimes a little more picturesque 
than accurate. A regular daughter of Eve her- 
self, and full of curiosity, she put one entirely at 
ease by her affectionate familiarity, and in con- 
versation drew one out in spite of everything. 
She possessed a wonderfully quick eye to notice 
detail, an instinctive penetration of the charac- 
ters of people about her, and an almost uncanny 
perception in reading their secret motives. Woe 
betide you if you had something that you wished 
to conceal and she to know, for she would lead 
the conversation with so much politeness, so clev- 
erly, so directly, that she invariably succeeded in 
her aim. 

A love of detail combined with a natural exec- 
utive ability which constantly demanded an out- 

353 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

let, was another of the Empress's qualities. In 
former days on the throne, her overflow of energy 
had taken the form of very estimable charities, 
such as reformator}'^ farms, trade-schools, 
asylums, prisons, etc., all of which she organized 
minutely, and supervised personally, accomplish- 
ing thereby a great deal of good. She told us of 
some experiences she had had with women pris- 
oners, half demented with wickedness, rage and 
despair, and of their rapid change to gentle, af- 
fectionate docility after her visits to the prison 
and friendly tete-a-tete interviews with these 
poor outcasts, to whom apparently no one had 
ever before been kind. This seemingly miracu- 
lous success, due probably to her charm and 
beauty, led up to the reforms instituted by her 
later on. The statistical history of the imperial 
reign is teeming with accounts of these reforms, 
which could be counted by the hundreds, and 
which apart from the other duties of the state 
machinery alone prove the activity and working 
power of the sovereigns. During the time at 
Farnborough about which I write, this unspent 
energy, for lack of a wider field, rather forced 
her into taking much personal interest in the 

354 



REMINISCENCES 

members of her entourage. Always fond of 
bringing about love matches and busying herself 
in the minute details of other people's hves, plan- 
ning and arranging things for them, she was very 
proud of her achievement whenever a marriage 
of her making turned out happily, as it often did. 
Her phenomenal memory which, through the 
exigencies of a sovereign's position, she had culti- 
vated and thereby increased to an extraordinary 
degree, must have been invaluable to her when 
on the throne. When I knew her in 1886, she 
remembered the tiniest details, and took an in- 
terest in people she had never even seen, retain- 
ing minute facts about them that placed them 
forevermore in her memory. I had occasion to 
prove this in subsequent visits with her, by in- 
quiries concerning friends of mine, and to real- 
ize that in this particular she rivaled her friend 
Queen Victoria, who possessed a similarly royal 
gift. Eugenie always spoke in the most glowing 
terms of the Queen of England and her steadfast 
friendship, which was thoroughly appreciated, a/S 
indeed was any token of genuine affection. She 
often expressed an immense admiration for Vic- 
toria's sterling qualities, quiet strength, and plod- 

355 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

ding persistence, which made a successful sover- 
eign of a sincere and unaffected woman, while 
she regretfully admitted that she who had been 
considered a most brilliant woman had finally 
through unfortunate circumstances failed to 
achieve her life's mission. 

Never once did I hear Her Imperial Majesty 
say anything disparaging or resentful about the 
French nation. In spite of all she had endured 
at its hands, she remained proudly fond of it, and 
in 1886 she was continuing most of her former 
public charities, with the only difference that at 
this date, of course, her donations came out of 
her private purse. "Others need not suffer and 
lose because I have done so," she said to me one 
day, referring to her still active love for France. 
She possessed quite a large fortune and was most 
generous with it in large ways, though not always 
in small, everyday things of life.^ 

The Empress's religious feeling was warm and 
real, and came to her both by inheritance and 
training. I am sure it had been a genuine com- 
fort to her in times of stress, though perhaps a 

1 I was told at Farnborough, on good authority, that she had 
at the time about 25,000 pounds a year. 

356 




THE EMPEROR NAPOLEON III 



REMINISCENCES 

little emotional, and not without a slight poetic 
tinge of southern superstition. She was almost 
Oriental in her strong behef in fatality, and cer- 
tainly Kismet did seem to have been, for good 
or evil, a power in her eventful hfe. 

But the deepest sentiment of all in her whole 
being had been undoubtedly her love for her 
son. This was unimpeachable, though her very 
anxiety for his perfection and the honor of his 
name had made her over-exacting with him, and 
had probably caused the affectionate though chiv- 
alrous youth to seek a wider horizon of action 
than his home, that he might show his romantic 
mother of what he was capable. I gathered 
these facts from Mme. Le Breton and others, 
when speaking of the Prince Imperial's departure 
for Zululand. 

The Empress did not in my hearing talk very 
often about her husband, but whatever she did 
say always showed a loyalty and respect which 
did her credit. Whatever his failings toward her 
had been, she professed a warm admiration for 
his love of hard work, his pluck, and his great 
kindness of heart and thoughtfulness for every- 
one. The Emperor genuinely loved the poor 

857 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

and hiimble among his subjects, and with no 
thought of pohcy. He was too good and gener- 
ous for his people's understanding. Had he 
been tyrannical, and made use of them and tram- 
pled them down, like some other sovereigns, 
they would have behaved better toward him, — 
so, at least, thought the Empress. 

Apropos of the Emperor, she told us on an- 
other occasion that he once remarked in a speech : 
"Mes amis ne sont pas dans les chateaux, — ils 
sont dans les chaumieres [^ly friends live not in 
castles, but in cottages]," and that, she added, 
was an absolute truth. He was a dreamer and 
devoted much of his time to planning with much 
sincerity for their benefit and for that of all man- 
kind. His life's ambition was to better their lot. 
He had great personal magnetism, especially 
with the laboring classes. Once at a workman's 
ball the guests were all grumbling and when the 
Emperor attempted to speak, kept calling out 
sullenly, "L'Armisticel I'armistice!" and their 
gestures at last became quite threatening. The 
Emperor's firmness saved his life. From the 
platform where he stood, he cried out with a tone 
of thunder: "Taisez-vous !" It was enough, — 

358 



REMINISCENCES 

at the sound of his voice they dropped their hos- 
tile atitude at once, and became amenable and 
even friendfy. 

The Empress once mentioned another incident, 
showing how her husband's personal pluck 
pleased and impressed the people, and she told 
it with evident pride in him. I give her own 
words according to my notes: "Promenade en 
voiture en temps difficiles, pendant un embarras 
de voitures, les passants montraient tout le temps 
le poing dans le visage de I'Empereur, qui ne 
bronchait pas. Effet morale de son courage qui 
triomphe ; — les mecontents disaient en se retirant 
penauds et convertis, et en montrant du doigt les 
Souverains, 'Ceux-ci au moins n'ont pas froid 
aux yeux ! 

The Empress instantaneously charmed every 
stranger always, but the Emperor, I beheve, was 
really much more personally and deeply loved by 
his entourage than was his consort. This I gath- 
ered, and it was often attested to (indirectly and 

1 " A drive in troublous times during a block in the traffic, the 
passers-by clenched their fists in the face of the Emperor, who 
remained unmoved. The moral effect of the courage which 
triumphs. The malcontents while slinking away abashed and 
converted, pointed to the sovereigns, and said, 'They at least 
know no fear.' " 

359 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

in a delicate way) by the very evident and gen- 
uine enthusiasm shown by Mme. Le Breton and 
M. Pietri, and even by the faithful old Due de 
Bassano, every time there was a chance of speak- 
ing of the dead Emperor. Mme. Le Breton's 
face used to light up as she said to me: "Ah I 
ma petite, vous auriez du connaitre I'Empereur. 
Ah, en voila un qui etait vraiment bon pour 
tous!"^ — and she never tired of telling of his 
constant acts of friendliness and courtesy, which, 
with his hard working perseverance and wonder- 
ful faith in his star, were according to her, his 
strongest characteristics. 

"On a tou jours parle contre moi," the Em- 
press said one day, while I was helping her to 
arrange and classify her documents, and add the 
year's accumulation to her already wonderful 
collection. She let me read some of them, and 
the sight of well known handwriting brought up 
all her memories and associations. She ex- 
claimed, "Meme avant mon mariage on a dit tout 
le mal possible sur mon compte. Si j' avais ete 
tout ce qu'on a dit d'horrible de moi ou meme la 

i"Ah, my dear, you ought to have known the Emperor. Ah, 
there was a man truly kind to all." 

360 



REMINISCENCES 

centieme partie, j'aurais ete une horreur, et je le 
serai probablement restee plus ou moins en bien 
des choses encore a Theiire qu'il est. On m'a 
traitee de 'vieille folle,' d'extravagante, etc. 
Quant a cette derniere accusation j' etais obligee, 
vous le comprenez, dans les interets du commerce, 
d'acheter constamment ce que personellement je 
ne desirais pas du tout. Les plaintes et les de- 
mandes des fabricants de Lyon et d' autres villes, 
me priant de mettre tel ou tel velours, telle soie, 
ou telle dentelle a la mode, etaient continuelles, — 
et ne pouvaient etre ignorees. Ces toilettes 
commandees par devoir je les appellais mes 'toil- 
ettes politiques.' 

"En fait, de toilette particuliere, personne n'a 
ete moins gaspilleuse que moi. Je depensais il 
est vrai une grande somme mensuelle, mais pas 
autant que beaucoup de dames de ma cour, qui 
n'ayant certes pas les memes obligations, depen- 
saient follement sans risques d'etre critiquees. 
Moi du moins j'avais tou jours de la methode et 
de I'ordre. Je donnais tons les premiers du mois 
a Pepita, ma tresoriere d'alors, une certaine 
somme d'argent; elle pouvait s'arranger comme 
elle voulait, mais jamais je ne lui en foumissais 

361 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

da vantage. S'il me fallait selon elle acheter une 
autre toilette ou un objet quelconque, et s'il n'y 
avait plus d'argent dans la cassette, je me passais 
de cet objet en depit de sa mauvais humeur. Par 
consequent, malgre ma fuite precipitee, et avec 
une liste civile de millions de francs, je n' ai 
laissee pour ainsi dire, presque pas de dettes a 
Paris, car toute note personelle se reglait le pre- 
mier du mois de la fa9on la plus bourgeoise." ^ 

1 " People have always spoken ill of me." " Even before mj 
marriage they said all possible evil of me. Had I been really 
all the horrible things they said I was, or even the hundredth part, 
I should have been a horror then, and I should have remained so 
probably in many particulars even now. Amongst other things 
they called me 'vieille foUe' and loudly censured my extravagance. 
Concerning this last accusation you will readily see I was con- 
stantly obliged in the interest of trade to buy things I personally 
did not wish for at all. The complaints and applications from 
the manufacturers of Lyons and other towns (begging me to set 
the fashion in a certain velvet or silk, or lace) were constant and 
could not be ignored. These duty dresses I used to call my ' toil- 
ettes politiques.' As to my dresses in private life, nobody could 
have been less wasteful than I. It is true I spent monthly a large 
sum on dress, but not half as much as some of the ladies of my 
court, who though they had not the same obligations as to appear- 
ance spent recklessly. I at least spent with deliberation and 
method. I gave on the 1st of each month to Pepita (my private 
treasurer at the time) a certain sum of money. Pepita might do 
the best she could with it, but never did I add any more. If she 
wished me to buy some extra garment or any thing else, and there 
was no more money left, I went without it, in spite of her appeals 
and subsequent expressions of annoyance. Consequently, not- 
withstanding my sudden flight and though with a civil list of mil- 
lions of francs, I hardly left any personal debts in Paris worth 
mentioning, for every bill of mine was paid regularly the 1st. of 
the month in the most bourgeois fashion." 

362 



REMINISCENCES 

Both from her own statements to me about 
herself, at different times, and from the testi- 
mony of persons who saw her daily at the Palace 
of the Tuileries when the Empire was at the 
height of its prosperity and glitter, I believe her 
reputation for extravagant dressing to be alto- 
gether false. Of course at public functions she 
had to be elegantly and even magnificently 
dressed, and her radiant beauty enhanced the 
brilliance of her appearance. These facts taken 
in connection with the jealousy and envy of less 
favored persons, seem enough in themselves to 
have created and confirmed the damning accusa- 
tions which did her so much harm, and made such 
a lasting impression on the minds of the French 
people. Besides which, when defeated and hu- 
miliated by Germany, they found it hard to for- 
give those in power, and vented their wrath on 
their sovereigns, to whom they attributed all the 
disasters of war. 

My own observations at Farnborough abso- 
lutely coincide with what Mme. Carette (who 
had lived at the Tuileries for several years as 
lectnce, and later as Dame du Palais) says on 

363 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

the subject in her Souvenirs Intimes de la Cour 
des Tuileries. It elucidates the vexed question, 
I think. 

"Chaque jour," she writes (page 165), "chez 
Elle, aux Tuileries comme dans les autres resi- 
dences, rimperatrice etait simplement vetue, 
avec beaucoup moins de recherche que ne le sont 
aujourd'hui la plupart des jeunes femmes dans 
leur maisons. Presque tou jours de la faille 
noire ou du drap pen fa^onne. 

"Pour sortir en voiture a Paris, I'lmperatrice 
ajoutait un manteau tres-elegant, un chapeau 
seyant et tres frais, et ceux qui la voyaient passer 
rapidement dans les beaux equipages de la cour, 
dans sa daumont menee a quatre chevaux par 
deux petits jockeys, parfaitement corrects, pre- 
cedee d'un piqueur a la livree Imperiale, pou- 
vaient croire qu'elle etait tres-paree, tandis qu'elle 
preferait comme toutes les femmes comme-il- 
faut s'habiller d'une fa^on pratique et commode. 
C'est ainsi que je I'ai tou jours vue." ^ 

1 "Every day," she writes (p. 165), "at home, at the Tuileries, 
as in the other royal residences, the Empress was simply dressed, 
with much less display than the young women of the present day 
affect in their own homes. Nearly always black silk or a plainly 
made cloth gown. To drive out through the streets of Paris the 
Empress added to this a very elegant mantle, a becoming bonnet 

364 




THE EMPRESS EUGENIE ABOUT 1880 



REMINISCENCES 

At Farnborough, care in the choosing and han- 
dling of her own clothes, and not allowing us, 
often to our dismay, to wear anything but our 
oldest garments in bad weather and other occa- 
sions, were characteristic traits of the Empress. 
She wore during the day the most simple black 
woolen dresses without any trimming, whatever. 
In the evening for dinner she wore a long plain 
black silk gown, opened slightly at the neck, and 
a jet brooch used merely as a fastening, — not a 
jewel or ornament of any kind, except three plain 
rings on the fourth finger of her left hand: her 
own wedding ring, a second gold one (probably 
the Emperor's) and a platinum guard, — but oh, 
the infinite grace and dignity of her bearing as 
she walked into the dining-room ! You could not 
fail to be impressed by her fascinating simplicity, 
— and still she was every inch an Empress. 

As a summing up of these characteristics, 
jotted down just as they come to my mind, or as 
I have found them scattered through my diary 

always of great freshness, and those who saw her pass rapidly 
in the beautiful court equipage, in her four-horse daumont, driven 
by two perfectly correct little jockeys and preceded by a 
piqueur in imperial livery, might naturally have imagined her to 
be over-dressed, whereas in reality she preferred, as do all comme- 
il-faut women, to be clothed in a practical and comfortable fash- 
ion. It is thus that I always saw her." 

365 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

and notes (a record of conversations and events 
during the ten months spent in closest daily 
intimacy with the Empress), I think I may say 
that though she often seemed to share the many 
httle weaknesses of our common humanity, yet 
in times of public calamity, or great personal 
sorrow, she rose to the heights of a great woman. 
Her heroic fearlessness during the cholera epi- 
demic in France (1865) was truly worthy of 
the admiration Europe unstintingly accorded her. 
Romantic, impulsive, and too proud to do wrong, 
she nevertheless laid herself innocently open to 
misunderstanding, and was her own worst enemy. 
Though in prosperity she may sometimes have 
seemed rather thoughtless and shallow, she un- 
questionably improved in this respect under sor- 
row and anxiety, and attached to herself from 
then on a coterie of excellent men and women, 
who by remaining enthusiastically devoted and 
faithful to her through all these years, have testi- 
fied to her real inner worth. To me and others, 
as I said at the beginning of these pages, she was 
an altogether puzzling mixture of contradictory 
traits. Not a deep nature, but a sparkling, bril- 
liant and irresistibly fascinating woman. 

366 



REMINISCENCES 

Toward myself she was invariably thoughtful 
and kind, even tender at times, always calling 
me Petite when alone in the most intimate and 
affectionate way. I should have been unimpres- 
sionable indeed, even while perfectly aware of 
her faults, had I not fallen in love with her many 
charming traits, as I did in point of fact, almost 
immediately after my arrival at Farnborough. 

LATEE 

Since 1886 I have kept in constant touch with 
the Empress and her life, through frequent de- 
lightful letters from members of her immediate 
household, her friends, and even from herself. I 
have enjoyed being able to pay my respects to 
her, and lunch and dine with her a good many 
times both at Farnborough and in Paris. The 
last time we met — in January, 1911 — I found 
myself by a happy coincidence in rooms contig- 
uous to hers at the Continental Hotel in Paris, 
and I was glad of the opportunity to see her sans 
ceremonie again. When Madame d' Attainville, 
her niece, took me in to the Empress, it was 
toward dusk. She sat in her large room by a 

367 



EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE 

blazing fire, buried under an immense fur rug, in 
a high-backed colonial chair. My first impres- 
sion was one of disappointment; — I feared that 
at last "Time" had laid a heavy hand on her, she 
looked so small and aged! But when I sat down 
on a cushion by her side and she began to speak 
of the past years, her old self reappeared at once. 
When I dined with her the following evening she 
came forward to greet me with all her old gracious- 
ness. I sat by her side, and she chatted with me 
with all her former vivaciousness and keen interest 
in life. I found her absolutely unchanged — as 
interested as ever in America, and my affairs, and 
our common friends and acquaintances. She was 
still the wonderful woman I had admired so 
much! It was a very happy glimpse — for the 
very last one ! 



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